The opening edition of the Indian Premier League in 2008 may be long gone, but it still carries the weight of one infamous moment—“slapgate”, the heated clash between S Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh during a match involving Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and Mumbai Indians. What began as an ugly exchange on the field escalated quickly, and Sreesanth’s reported slap by Harbhajan—nicknamed “the Turbanator”—became a defining talking point of the season. While the two later appeared to bury the hatchet, the matter has resurfaced with fresh allegations that their relationship has once again deteriorated.
Sreesanth claims Harbhajan profited from slapgate
Sreesanth has now launched a direct attack on Harbhajan, alleging that the former India spinner monetised the incident. In his account, Harbhajan earned around INR 1 crore through a recent advertisement that, according to Sreesanth, leaned on the slapgate episode for comedic effect. The fast bowler also claimed that Harbhajan did not stop at starring in the ad—he further requested that Sreesanth help promote it by sharing the video on his own social media pages.
Speaking to Mathrubhumi, a Malayalam news outlet, Sreesanth said he had never publicly discussed Harbhajan in interviews before, but the situation has forced him to speak now. He pointed to the timing of the commercial campaign, saying that until recently everything was fine, and then the advertisement brought the controversy back into the spotlight.
Sreesanth’s remarks also included a clarification of his personal stance: he said he is willing to forgive what happened, but he cannot accept the idea of turning the incident into a marketable product. He added that Harbhajan allegedly contacted him and asked him to feature a story about the ad, to which Sreesanth responded that he would forgive, but would not forget.
He further stressed that forgiveness does not mean allowing the same wrongdoing to repeat. To illustrate his point, he referenced Harbhajan as the clearest example of why “forgive but never forget” should remain a guiding principle.
“I blocked him on Instagram” — ties cut again
Beyond the claims about the advertisement, Sreesanth said he has effectively ended contact with Harbhajan. The former pacer, who was part of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning group, stated that he had once considered Harbhajan like family—“used to call him brother”—but that shifted after the ad resurfaced the slapgate controversy.
In the same interview, Sreesanth said he has blocked Harbhajan on Instagram, adding that he currently has no relationship with him. He also framed the issue around his upbringing, saying his parents taught him to forgive while never forgetting, and insisting he holds no grievance that requires ongoing interaction.
Sreesanth went on to suggest that Harbhajan’s public image could mislead others. He noted that in multiple interviews, even alongside Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan had spoken about Sreesanth’s daughter—something Sreesanth said may cause people to view him positively. However, Sreesanth maintained that, in his view, it is all part of an “act” that he does not accept, linking that assessment back to slapgate and the subsequent advertisement.
Background: the original slapgate fallout
“Slapgate” is remembered as the first major controversy of the IPL 2008 season. During the incident, Harbhajan faced a ban that kept him out for the remainder of that entire campaign. When the altercation took place, the match broadcast captured Sreesanth crying on the field, underscoring how quickly the confrontation spiralled beyond a standard on-field disagreement.
Years later, the controversy gained additional visibility when Lalit Modi, a former IPL commissioner, released previously unseen high-definition footage of the exchange between Sreesanth and Harbhajan. The clip circulated widely and renewed public debate around the incident.
Harbhajan had earlier accepted wrongdoing, stating that he was wrong to slap Sreesanth. But Sreesanth has now argued that this apology does not carry weight for him in light of the newer advertisement, which—according to his allegations—reintroduced slapgate into public view as entertainment.
