The protestors gathered at Luxa and shouted anti-Hayden slogans and burnt the effigy of the cricketer.

“Hayden has called Harbhajan an obnoxious weed and hence he does not deserve any better treatment than this. This statement proves that World Champions Australia are more interested in playing the game of words rather than cricket in true spirits with Indians,” one of the protesters said.

Hayden, an active participant in the on-field bickerings that have marred India’s current tour of Australia, yesterday launched a fresh verbal attack on Harbhajan by calling him an “obnoxious little weed” and also challenged young paceman Ishant Sharma to a boxing bout.

“It’s been a bit of a long battle with Harbhajan, the first time I ever met him, he was the same little obnoxious weed that he is now,” Hayden said on Brisbane radio.

Hayden said he had told Ishant to settle down and quipped that he would like to meet the lanky paceman in a boxing ring.