Sreesanth blocks Harbhajan Singh, ends ties
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Thiruvananthapuram
- Apr 25, 2026
- 54
The long-standing controversy between former Indian cricketers S. Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh has resurfaced, with Sreesanth declaring that he has ended all ties with Harbhajan and blocked him on social media.
In an interview with Mathrubhumi, Sreesanth revealed that he had never spoken publicly about Harbhajan before but chose to do so now after a recent advertisement revived memories of their 2008 IPL incident. According to him, the ad—released around Republic Day 2026 for a marketing app’s sale campaign—featured Harbhajan as a teacher in a “Chanta Class,” humorously encouraging people to abandon the habit of fixing faulty electronics by slapping them and instead purchase new items. The dialogue, “Slap right, everything will be fine,” was widely seen as a reference to the controversy.
Sreesanth claimed that the advertisement deal was worth between ₹80 lakh and ₹1 crore and that he was asked to promote it on social media. He refused, expressing disappointment over what he saw as a repeated insensitivity. “I can forgive, but I can’t forget. If you forget, the same mistake will be repeated,” he said, adding that Harbhajan’s actions reinforced his stance.
Stating that their relationship has completely broken down, Sreesanth said, “I don’t have any connection with that person anymore. I used to call him brother, but after the advertisements in the last couple of months, I blocked him on Instagram. He may be a great person, but for me, everything feels like an act.”
The controversy dates back to the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League in 2008. On April 25, after a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab in Mohali, Harbhajan slapped Sreesanth during an on-field altercation. The incident shocked the cricketing world, with Sreesanth seen crying on the field. Players like Irfan Pathan and Mahela Jayawardene intervened to separate the two.
Following the incident, Harbhajan Singh was banned for eight matches and fined his match fee. The episode triggered widespread debate among fans and the media, with Sreesanth maintaining that he was slapped without provocation.
Over the years, Harbhajan has repeatedly expressed regret. In an interaction with Ravichandran Ashwin, he described the slap as the one moment he would erase from his life, calling it his biggest mistake and saying he had apologised hundreds of times.
He also shared an emotional experience of meeting Sreesanth’s daughter, who refused to speak to him, saying she did not want to talk to someone who had hit her father. Harbhajan said the moment left him heartbroken, bringing him to tears and making him reflect on the image he had created. He added that he continues to apologise whenever he gets the opportunity.
Despite these repeated apologies, Sreesanth’s latest remarks indicate that the rift remains unresolved, bringing a 16-year-old controversy back into the spotlight.