Brad Hogg, the Australian chinaman bowler, has been charged under Level 3 of the ICC Code of Conduct following a complaint by Indian team manager Chetan Chauhan. Hogg was accused of making an offensive remark to Anil Kumble and Mahendra Singh Dhoni during the second Test in Sydney.

Mike Procter, the match referee at the SCG, set January 14 as the date for the preliminary hearing. If found guilty, Hogg could be banned for two to four Tests or for eight one-day internationals.

Paragraph 3.3 of the Code of Conduct refers to players or team officials "using language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person's race, religion, gender, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin".

The charge comes two days after Harbhajan Singh was found guilty of a racial insult and banned for three Tests. He was also charged under Level 3 and found guilty. The Indian board has now appealed against the three-match ban imposed on him and he can be picked for India's Tests while the appeal is being processed.