Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed deep regret over his infamous on-field altercation with ex-teammate S Sreesanth during the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. Speaking candidly on R Ashwin’s YouTube show Kutti Stories, Harbhajan said that if he could erase one incident from his cricketing career, it would be the moment he slapped Sreesanth after a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab.
“That incident should not have happened,” Harbhajan admitted. “I’ve apologised to Sreesanth over 200 times, and I’ll continue to do so. I was completely at fault.” The altercation had led to Harbhajan being suspended for the rest of the season by the BCCI, and it remains one of the most controversial moments in IPL history.
‘I Was Shattered by His Daughter’s Words’
Harbhajan shared an emotional account of meeting Sreesanth’s daughter years after the incident. “She said to me, ‘I don’t want to talk to you. You hit my father.’ That broke me,” Harbhajan recalled. “My heart was shattered, and I was on the verge of tears. I kept thinking—what kind of image have I left on this child?”
The cricketer-turned-politician said he has tried to make amends, especially with Sreesanth’s family. “I told her, ‘If there’s anything I can do to make you feel better, please let me know.’ I want her to grow up thinking her uncle is a good person who made a mistake and regrets it deeply.”
‘I Was Provoked, But My Action Was Wrong’
Harbhajan acknowledged that while Sreesanth may have provoked him during the match, the physical reaction was entirely unjustified. “He was my teammate. We all make mistakes, but mine was a public one that should never have happened,” he said.
Harbhajan, now 45 and serving as a Member of Parliament, concluded by saying that he wishes to be remembered for the positive contributions he made on and off the field—and not for that one moment of anger.
