Bhajji-Sreesanth Slapgate Video 2025: Harbhajan’s 2008 IPL Incident Surfaces
A never-before-seen video of the infamous “slapgate” incident between Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth has resurfaced this week, thanks to IPL founder Lalit Modi. Cricket fans in India have long remembered the drama from IPL 2008, but until now, nobody had actually seen it.
Video Footage Finally Released
The grainy clip, shared during Australian World Cup-winning captain Michael Clarke’s Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, shows Harbhajan Singh losing his temper and slapping Sreesanth, while teammates rush to calm the situation. Lalit Modi said,
"The game was over, cameras were shut off. One of my security cameras was on. It caught the incident between Sreesanth and Bhajji (Harbhajan), and Bhajji just gives him a back-hander. Here's the video."
He added, "I hadn't put it out for so long. We have 18 years behind us for this."
One of the wildest moments in IPL history, Unseen footage of the Bhajji–Sreesanth slapgate that never been aired#IPL pic.twitter.com/E9Ux8bodOW
— Vishal (@Fanpointofviews) August 29, 2025
What Happened in IPL 2008
The incident happened after a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab during IPL’s first edition in 2008. Harbhajan Singh, representing Mumbai Indians, slapped Punjab pacer Sreesanth in a moment that shocked fans across India. The incident became known as “slapgate” and led to a five-match ODI ban for Harbhajan at the time.
Even though the video shows what happened, it doesn’t tell the full story. Fans still debate whether Sreesanth had provoked Harbhajan, whether the punishment was fair, or if the footage should have remained hidden forever.
Harbhajan Singh Expresses Regret
Harbhajan has publicly expressed his regret on multiple occasions. In a candid interaction with Ravichandran Ashwin, he said,
"One thing I'd want to change in my life is that incident with Sreesanth. I want to remove that incident from my career. That is the incident I would change from my list. What transpired was wrong and I shouldn't have done what I did. I apologised 200 times. What I felt so bad was even years after that incident, I have been apologising every opportunity or stage I get. It was a mistake."
He also opened up about the emotional impact of the incident, especially when meeting Sreesanth’s family:
"What hurt me even after many years was when I met his daughter and I was talking to her with a lot of love and she said, 'I don't want to talk to you. You hit my father.' My heart was shattered and I was on the verge of tears. I was asking myself what is the impression I've left on her? She must be thinking of me in a poor light, right? She sees me as the guy who hit her father. I felt so bad. I still apologise to his daughter."
Sreesanth Moves On
Sreesanth, for his part, has often laughed off the incident in interviews, showing that both players have moved past the controversy. They have even been seen joking together on television shows, proving that time can heal old wounds.
Why This Video Matters
For fans, the release of the clip transforms folklore into history. What happened on that day in 2008 is no longer just a story told in whispers or memes—it’s a moment captured on camera for the world to see. It also serves as a reminder that in cricket, like in life, some of the most memorable moments aren’t sixes, wickets, or records, but the raw, unscripted human moments that resurface years later.
Post a Comment