Bhuvneshwari Sreesanth says her family is deeply hurt after unseen footage of Harbhajan-Sreesanth IPL 2008 incident was released, sparking fresh outrage 16 years later.
A storm has erupted in the cricketing world after never-seen-before footage of the infamous Harbhajan Singh–S Sreesanth ‘Slapgate’ incident from IPL 2008 resurfaced on former Australian cricketer Michael Clarke’s podcast, Beyond23.
The video, revealed by ex-IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, shows Harbhajan, then captain of Mumbai Indians, slapping pacer Sreesanth during post-match handshakes after a heavy defeat against Kings XI Punjab. The footage, hidden for 16 years, reignited memories of one of Indian cricket’s darkest moments.
But this revival hasn’t gone down well with Sreesanth’s family. His wife, Bhuvneshwari Sreesanth, lashed out at Modi and Clarke in an emotional Instagram post, calling their act “cheap publicity” and “absolutely inhuman.”
“Shame on you @lalitkmodi and @michaelclarkeofficial. You people are not even human to drag up something from 2008 just for your own cheap publicity and views. Both @sreesanthnair36 and Harbhajan have long moved on, they are fathers now with school-going children, and yet you try to throw them back into an old wound. Absolutely disgusting, heartless, and inhuman,” she wrote.
She further added that the emergence of the footage has been “painful” for her family, scarring not only the two players but also their children.
“Both should be sued for not just hurting the players, but also scarring their innocent children who now have to face questions and shame for no fault of theirs,” she added.
The Footage That Shook Cricket Again
According to Lalit Modi, the incident was never captured by broadcast cameras, which had been turned off after the match. Instead, it was one of his personal security cameras that recorded Harbhajan giving what he described as a “backhander” to Sreesanth.
“I had not put it out for so long – it has been 18 years now. The players were walking off when Bhajji just looked at Sreesanth, said something, and gave him a backhander,” Modi revealed.
The fallout from the incident was immediate in 2008. Harbhajan Singh was banned for eight matches, a punishment Modi says was necessary to “set boundaries” in the new league.
Regret and Moving On
Years later, Harbhajan himself has openly admitted regret. Speaking on R Ashwin’s YouTube channel, the former India spinner said:
“One thing I’d want to change in my life is that incident with Sreesanth. What transpired was wrong. I apologised 200 times. Even years later, I still keep apologising whenever it comes up. It was a mistake.”
Both Harbhajan and Sreesanth have since reconciled, often appearing together in shows and events, putting the ugly chapter behind them. Which is why the revival of the footage today feels like an old wound being ripped open, especially for their families.