Former India pacer S Sreesanth has once again revisited the IPL 2008 ‘slapgate’ incident, alleging that Harbhajan Singh later used the episode in an advertisement and even asked him to be part of its promotion.
Speaking to Mathrubhumi, Sreesanth said Harbhajan Singh earned around Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1 crore from an advertisement based on the controversial on-field incident during the inaugural IPL season. He further claimed that he was later approached and asked to share the promotional content on social media.
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Sreesanth said he refused the request and reiterated that while he has forgiven Harbhajan, he has not forgotten what happened. He also revealed that he has now blocked Harbhajan on Instagram, adding that there is no personal relationship between them anymore.
The original 2008 incident, which took place during a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), led to Harbhajan Singh being banned for the remainder of the season and fined 100 per cent of his match fees. The episode remains one of the most controversial moments in IPL history.
Sreesanth further said he once considered Harbhajan like a brother but believes recent actions, including the advertisement, reopened old wounds. He also criticised past interviews in which Harbhajan reportedly spoke about him and his family, calling it inappropriate.
While both players had appeared to have moved on in recent years, Sreesanth’s latest comments have brought the controversy back into focus, sparking renewed debate among fans and cricket followers.
Neither Harbhajan Singh nor the BCCI has issued a fresh response to Sreesanth’s latest remarks at the time of publication. The resurfaced claims have once again revived discussions around player conduct and post-retirement reconciliation in Indian cricket, with fans divided over whether old controversies should continue to be revisited years later.
