Nearly 18 years after the infamous IPL ‘Slapgate’ controversy, former India pacer S. Sreesanth has reignited the debate with a strong attack on ex-spinner Harbhajan Singh, accusing him of profiting from the incident through a recent advertisement.
Sreesanth’s remarks came after Harbhajan appeared in a commercial for a retail brand, where he is seen shouting, “Sahi se thappad lagao, sab theek ho jata hai” (Slap them properly, everything gets fixed). The pacer claimed the ad referenced the controversial 2008 episode and alleged that Harbhajan earned between ₹80 lakh to ₹1 crore from it.
“I have never spoken about Bhajji in any interview. This is the first time,” Sreesanth told Mathrubhumi. “He made an ad about it again and even called me to put up a story. I told him, ‘I’ll forgive, but I’ll never forget.’”
The former India seamer added that the advertisement deeply upset him, prompting him to cut ties. “There were no issues until recently. But after that ad, I have blocked him on Instagram. I don’t have any relationship with that person anymore,” he said.
Emphasising his stance, Sreesanth said, “If someone wrongs you, you should forgive but never forget. If you forget, they will repeat it.”
The controversy dates back to the inaugural 2008 IPL season, when a heated exchange between the two cricketers during a match between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) escalated into Harbhajan slapping Sreesanth on the field. The incident drew widespread criticism, leading to Harbhajan’s suspension for the remainder of the tournament.
The episode resurfaced in public discourse last year after former IPL chairman Lalit Modi shared unseen footage during a podcast conversation with Michael Clarke.
Responding to that development at the time, Harbhajan had questioned the intent behind revisiting the controversy, saying he would not have allowed such footage to be made public.
Despite years passing since the incident, Sreesanth’s latest comments underline how unresolved tensions and public narratives around ‘Slapgate’ continue to linger in Indian cricket.