Sreesanth says Harbhajan made Rs 1 crore from IPL slapgate ad, blocks him on Insta

The ghost of the 2008 Slapgate scandal has returned to haunt the Indian Premier League. Former India pacer Santhakumaran Sreesanth has launched a scathing attack on Harbhajan Singh, accusing the former off-spinner of profiting from the infamous incident that marred the tournament's inaugural season.

While the duo appeared to have buried the hatchet over the intervening 18 years, Sreesanth revealed in a recent interview that a television advertisement featuring Harbhajan, which leaned into the 2008 controversy for comedic effect, was the final straw. The pacer suggested that although he sought the moral high ground by forgiving his former teammate, the act of commercialising the assault had severed their relationship permanently.

According to Sreesanth, Harbhajan not only earned close to Rs 1 crore from the advertisement but had the audacity to ask him to share the video on his own social media channels.

Sreesanth, speaking with uncharacteristic bluntness, made it clear that the recent commercial venture was a step too far.

"I have never spoken about Bhajji in any interview. This is going to be the first time," Sreesanth told Mathrubhumi, a Malayalam news outlet.

"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."

WHAT IS THE SLAPGATE CONTROVERSY?

The IPL slapgate occurred following a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab in April 2008. Sreesanth was famously caught on camera in floods of tears after being slapped by Harbhajan during the post-match handshakes. The fallout was swift: Harbhajan was banned for the remainder of the season and docked his entire match fee, while the images of a distraught Sreesanth became the first major "viral" controversy of the IPL era.

I HAVE BLOCKED HARBHAJAN ON INSTA: SREESANTH

The pacer’s frustration seemingly stems from what he perceives as a lack of genuine remorse, contrasted with a public persona of reformed brotherhood. Sreesanth went as far as to suggest that Harbhajan’s recent attempts at reconciliation in public forums were performative.

"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,” Sreesanth said.

“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."

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The fire was stoked further last year when former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi released previously unseen, high-definition footage of the altercation. The video, which had been locked in a vault for nearly two decades, provided a much clearer view of the aggression involved, prompting a fresh wave of public debate.

At the time, Harbhajan expressed regret, calling it a mistake he wished he could undo. However, Sreesanth has made it clear those apologies ring hollow when followed by a paycheque tied to the same event.

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Published By:

Akshay Ramesh

Published On:

Apr 25, 2026 08:04 IST

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