Sreesanth blocks Harbhajan on Insta, alleges ex-teammate made ₹1 crore from slapgate ad

He forgave the slap, but not what came after. Nearly 18 years on, the IPL’s most controversial moment refuses to fade, with S Sreesanth now alleging Harbhajan Singh monetised the slapgate incident.

Former India pacer S Sreesanth has reignited the 2008 IPL slapgate controversy, accusing Harbhajan Singh of profiting from the infamous incident through a recent advertisement, a move he says has now ended whatever remained of their relationship.

In an interview with Mathrubhumi, Sreesanth alleged that Harbhajan earned between Rs 80 lakh and Rs 1 crore from the ad, which was reportedly based on the 2008 episode. He further claimed that Harbhajan later asked him to promote it on social media, a request he refused.

Sreesanth said he had consciously avoided speaking about Harbhajan in public until now but described the advertisement as crossing a line. While he maintained that he had chosen to forgive the incident, he made it clear that he had not forgotten it, adding that commercialising the moment has permanently altered his perception of his former India teammate.

“I have never spoken about Bhajji in any interview. This is going to be the first time,” Sreesanth said. “Until recently there were no problems, but he made an ad about it once again. He made around Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1 crore off it. He then called me and asked me to put a story on it. I told him, ‘I’ll forgive but I’ll never forget’. If someone wrongs you, you should forgive them but never forget. If you forget, they will do the same thing again. He is the biggest example for that. There is no doubt about that.”

The IPL slapgate controversy dates back to April 2008, following a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab. Sreesanth was seen in tears on camera after being slapped by Harbhajan during the post-match handshake. Harbhajan was subsequently banned for the remainder of the season and forfeited his entire match fee. The visuals of a distraught Sreesanth went on to become one of the earliest viral flashpoints in IPL history.

Sreesanth also revealed that he has now severed all ties with Harbhajan, including on social media. “I have no relationship with that person. I used to call him a brother. But in that last 1 or 2 months he did that ad and now I have blocked him on Instagram,” he said.

He added, “My parents have taught me to forgive but never forget. I don’t have any complaints against him, nor do I need him. May God bless him and his family. In many interviews, even with Ashwin, he talked about my daughter. People will think oh what a great person he is. He might be a great person. But for me from my time playing for India to now, in my opinion, it’s all an act. That act is something Sreesanth doesn’t accept.”

The controversy had resurfaced last year after former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi released previously unseen high-definition footage of the 2008 altercation, sparking fresh debate. Harbhajan had then expressed regret, calling it a mistake he wished he could undo. However, Sreesanth has now made it clear that he does not accept those apologies in light of the recent developments and no longer maintains any relationship with him.