Harbhajan and Sreesanth clear the air around the infamous ‘slapgate’ incident

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 has begun, and the tournament has so far been without any major issues. However, the league has been marred by controversies in the past, with one of the most infamous incidents occurring during the inaugural edition in 2008. This incident involved Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth, and it remains one of the most controversial moments in the tournament’s history.

The  ‘Slapgate’ incident

During the incident, Sreesanth was representing Kings XI Punjab (now known as Punjab Kings), while Harbhajan played for Mumbai Indians. It was alleged that Harbhajan had slapped S.Sreesanth, who was seen crying on the field. The incident sparked a massive controversy, with many people expressing their outrage at Harbhajan’s behavior. 

Despite the highly controversial incident between Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth during the 2008 IPL, the two players have since reconciled and even appeared together on a special episode produced by Star Sports to commemorate the 12th anniversary of India’s historic World Cup triumph.

Sehwag recalls the incident

In the episode, Sreesanth spoke about his friendship with Harbhajan and revealed that he used to hug the spinner before heading out to play a match, claiming that the hugs enhanced his performance. However, Virender Sehwag, who was also present on the show, interrupted Sreesanth and asked if the hugs were exchanged after the infamous “Slapgate” incident. This remark caused both Harbhajan and Sreesanth to feel awkward, highlighting the controversial nature of the incident and the impact it has had on their relationship. Nonetheless, it appears that both players have moved on from the incident and are now on good terms with each other. 

As the players were engaged in casual conversation, Sreesanth mentioned, “I want to share that before playing a Test or any other match, I always hugged Bhajji pa (Harbhajan Singh). My performance always used to be better.”

Virender Sehwag, who is known for his straightforward nature, posed the question of when did the trend start. Sehwag said, “When did this hug trend start? Probably after the incident in Mohali.” 

However, Harbhajan Singh was quick to react and urged Virender Sehwag to forget the incident. “Bhul jao yaar” (Forget it buddy), Harbhajan said at the show. 

However, Sreesanth later revealed that the tradition of hugging Harbhajan started way back in 2006 and then shared a friendly handshake with Harbhajan afterwards. 

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