Former India pacer S Sreesanth has revealed that his daughter once refused to greet legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh, a reaction linked to the infamous 2008 IPL “slapgate” incident. The altercation between the two occurred after a match between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians, when Harbhajan slapped Sreesanth, leaving him visibly in tears.
Sreesanth explains his daughter’s reaction
Speaking on Padamjeet Sehrawat’s YouTube channel, Sreesanth said that when he introduced Harbhajan as “Bhajji pa,” his daughter refused to say hello. He speculated that she might have heard about the incident at school. Even after trying to explain that Harbhajan was like an elder brother, she initially stood her ground before softening her stance the next day.
‘It was not deliberate’
Sreesanth stressed that he doesn’t believe Harbhajan acted with intent that evening, calling it a spur-of-the-moment reaction. “It was just a learning experience for both of us,” he said, adding that the legends tournament later gave them a chance to interact more positively.
Harbhajan’s regret over the incident
Recently, Harbhajan Singh told Ravichandran Ashwin on Kutti Stories with Ash that the slap incident was one thing he wished he could erase from his career. He admitted it was wrong, said he had apologised “200 times,” and expressed deep regret that he still finds himself saying sorry years later.
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