Dubai, Jan 8 : Australia spinner Brad Hogg was today charged under Level 3 of the International Cricket Council's Code of Conduct by India team manager Chetan Chauhan following an alleged incident that took place on the final day of the second Test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Hogg is accused of making an offensive remark to India captain Anil Kumble and vice-captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni during India's second innings on Sunday.

Under the terms of the Code of Conduct, ICC Match Referee Mike Procter will hold a hearing as soon as reasonably practicable. The preliminary date for the hearing is set for 14 January in Perth, an ICC release said.

The alleged offence has been reported under paragraph 3.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct which 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 ethic origin".

The penalty for a Level 3 offence is a ban of between two and four Test matches or between four and eight One-Day Internationals.

Meanwhile, the ICC has decided to replace Umpire Steve Bucknor with Billy Bowden for the third Test, which is scheduled to start in Perth on January16, and to bring in ICC Chief Referee Ranjan Madugalle to assist in ensuring the match is played in the best possible spirit.

ANI