The Slapgate controversy from the inaugural IPL season is back in the spotlight, with former India pacer S Sreesanth making fresh allegations against Harbhajan Singh.
In an interview with Malayalam outlet Mathrubhumi, Sreesanth claimed that the former off-spinner of using their 2008 altercation for commercial gain through a recent advertisement. He also revealed that he has blocked Harbhajan on Instagram, signalling a complete breakdown in their relationship.
Dispute over advertisement
The latest flashpoint appears to be a television commercial that reportedly references the infamous 2008 incident.
Sreesanth claimed that Harbhajan earned a substantial amount, between Rs 80 lakh and Rs 1 crore, for the advertisement. He said the issue escalated when Harbhajan allegedly asked him to share the ad on social media.
“I told him, ‘I’ll forgive but I’ll never forget.’ If you forget, the same thing can happen again,” Sreesanth said in the interview, expressing his disappointment.
Relationship breaks down again
The two cricketers had appeared to move past the incident in recent years, often sharing public platforms and engaging in light-hearted interactions.
However, Sreesanth now says those gestures were not genuine. He confirmed that he no longer wishes to maintain any personal connection.
He also expressed discomfort over Harbhajan mentioning his daughter in recent public conversations, suggesting it was part of an effort to maintain a certain public image.
What was the ‘Slapgate’ incident?
The original controversy dates back to April 2008 during a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab in the IPL’s first season. Sreesanth was seen in tears after an on-field altercation in which Harbhajan slapped him during the post-match handshake.
The incident led to Harbhajan being suspended for the remainder of the season and forfeiting his match fees.
The episode briefly returned to public discussion last year after former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi shared unseen footage of the incident. Harbhajan had then described it as an “unfortunate mistake” and expressed regret.
Sreesanth’s wife Bhuvneshwari had slammed Modi for unnecessarily bringing up and old incident especially when the cricketer has moved on. However, the league’s founding chairman had defended his statement.
“I don’t know why she (Sreesanth’s wife Bhuvneshwari) is getting angry. I was asked a question, and I shared the truth. I can’t do anything about that. I am known to speak the truth. Sree was the victim, and that’s exactly what I said. No one had asked me this question earlier, so when (Michael) Clarke quipped, I responded,” Times of India quoted Lalit Modi as saying.
No response from Harbhajan yet
As of now, Harbhajan Singh has not publicly responded to Sreesanth’s latest claims regarding the advertisement or the financial figures mentioned.
The renewed war of words has once again brought one of IPL’s most controversial moments back into focus, eighteen years after it first unfolded.