A video of the infamous ‘slapgate’ incident from the 2008 Indian Premier League (IPL), involving Harbhajan Singh and S. Sreesanth, has resurfaced after 17 years, leading to a wave of strong reactions. The footage shows the moment when Harbhajan Singh slapped Sreesanth after a match in the inaugural season of the IPL. The video was released by Lalit Modi, the former IPL commissioner.
The incident occurred after a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). Punjab won the match, and during the customary post-match handshakes, Harbhajan Singh slapped Sreesanth. While the incident was widely reported at the time, with images and reports of Sreesanth’s reaction, the video itself had never been seen by the public.
Lalit Modi revealed that a security camera had captured the footage, which he had kept private for years. He shared it with former Australian captain Michael Clarke, who released it on his podcast. This has caused a strong response from Sreesanth’s wife, Bhuvneshwari, who has publicly condemned both Modi and Clarke.
Bhuvneshwari expressed her outrage on social media, criticizing Modi and Clarke for their actions, calling it a display of poor judgment and insensitivity. She noted that both Sreesanth and Harbhajan have moved on from the incident and now have families, highlighting the insensitivity of revisiting old wounds. She further suggested that legal action against Clarke and Modi was warranted.
Despite the controversy, Harbhajan and Sreesanth later played together for the Indian national team and were part of the 2011 World Cup-winning team. They have also appeared together on various cricket-related shows and in advertisements in subsequent years.