The ghost of IPL 2008 has returned to haunt the league’s 2026 season. In a startling revelation that has sent shockwaves through the cricketing community, former India pacer S. Sreesanth has launched a scathing attack on his former teammate Harbhajan Singh.
Nearly 18 years after the infamous “Slapgate” incident, Sreesanth has accused the veteran off-spinner of commercially exploiting their past trauma for financial gain, effectively ending any semblance of a relationship between the two.
Commercializing the Conflict: The Ad That Broke the Bond
The renewed rift reportedly stems from a recent advertisement featuring Harbhajan Singh that humorously references the 2008 slapping incident.
Sreesanth claimed that Harbhajan earned between ₹80 lakh and ₹1 crore from the commercial and even had the audacity to ask Sreesanth to promote it on social media. “I’ll forgive, but I’ll never forget,” Sreesanth told, adding that he has since blocked Harbhajan on Instagram. For the Kerala pacer, turning a moment that once brought him to tears on national television into a paycheck crossed a sacred line.
“It’s All an Act”: Sreesanth Calls Out the Persona
While Harbhajan has publicly expressed regret for the incident in various interviews over the years—often presenting a reformed image—Sreesanth isn’t buying it. The pacer labeled Harbhajan’s public persona as “an act,” criticizing him for bringing up personal details, including Sreesanth’s daughter, in media chats to appear virtuous. “In my opinion, it’s all an act. That act is something Sreesanth doesn’t accept,” he stated firmly. The fallout comes at a particularly sensitive time, just as Harbhajan made headlines for his high-profile exit from the Aam Aadmi Party to join the BJP.
A Legacy of Friction: From 2008 to 2026
The original “Slapgate” occurred after a Mumbai Indians vs. Kings XI Punjab match in the inaugural season, leading to a season-long ban for Harbhajan. While the duo seemed to have reconciled during India’s 2011 World Cup win, the peace has proven fragile. With unseen footage of the incident being shared by former commissioner Lalit Modi last year and now this commercial fallout, the controversy remains one of the most enduring and bitter sagas in IPL history. As of now, the “Turbanator” has not responded to these fresh allegations, but the cricketing world remains on edge.