Harbhajan Singh at the SCG on Sunday. (Reuters)

Calcutta: Australian media have alleged that Harbhajan Singh made monkey gestures towards the crowd during India’s victory over Australia in the first of the best-of-three finals.

According to a report in Sydney Morning Herald, Harbhajan may land himself in fresh trouble .

The Indian spinner apparently motioned as if to scratch his armpits with both hands in the same manner fans did to taunt Andrew Symonds in India last year, the report said.

Harbhajan repeated the gesture with one hand later, the newspaper alleged.

The report also quoted a spectator as saying that Harbhajan spat towards the crowd after they called him “a wanker”.

“He definitely made the monkey gestures and he spat towards us,” the spectator was quoted as saying.

“It was a bit disgraceful really, especially after what happened here in the Test match with Symonds.

“There are a lot of young people sitting here and it was inappropriate. He is a role model to a lot of people. If he wants respect he has to treat others with respect.

“He is always going to cop it from the crowd but he is a professional sportsman and he has got to expect that,” the report stated.

India manager Dr Bimal Soni, however, denied that Harbhajan made any such gesture.

“The crowd was harassing him, he has not done anything,” he said.

The alleged incident continued the drama that has characterised this summer. It occurred about 10 minutes after Harbhajan dismissed Matthew Hayden, who top-scored for Australia.

Hayden was subjected to an earful from the fielders and Harbhajan in particular. In the sixth over, bowled by Ishant Sharma, Harbhajan and Irfan Pathan walked right up to the bowler’s end and chided Hayden after each delivery, the report said.

Robin Uthappa also had a lot to say to Hayden as he ran up to the stumps from second slip during Ishant’s third over.