I wish I could change that from my career: Harbhajan Singh recollects what Sreesanth's daughter told him about the slap-gate incident

When you put the names of Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth in one sentence, there is only event that will come to your mind. The infamous slap-gate incident from the first season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

 

While the pilot season of the IPL was a standout success with many notable incidents across the tournament, the Harbhajan-Sreesanth episode left a sour taste for viewers and the BCCI in general. It's been 17 years now and although both cricketers have moved on with maturity, Harbhajan understandably regrets that day till date. Having endured a disappointing start to IPL 2008 with Mumbai Indians, the loss against Punjab Kings had only increased Harbhajan's frustrations.

 

Therefore, when Sreesanth came to him for a post-match greeting, it turned into an ugly event with a visibly angry Harbhajan slapping his India teammate. It left the Kerala pacer in tears and Harbhajan was subsequently banned for the rest of the season for his antics in Mohali that night. Only six months earlier, the duo had been part of India's victorious 2007 T20 World Cup squad in South Africa.

 

Talking on Ravichandran Ashwin's official YouTube channel, Harbhajan explained how much regret he still carried in his mind when it comes to the Sreesanth episode.

 

“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," said Harbhajan in a chat with fellow off-spinner Ashwin on the podcast.

 

"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."

 

Hurting a fellow national teammate obviously made Harbhajan guilty and over the years, it is an incident that he often remembers with a tinge of pain. Known for his aggressive methods on the field, Harbhajan knows that he had crossed the line during the incident against Sreesanth. However, both players have shared a reasonably fine camaraderie over the years, often meeting up on some occasion or the other. During one of those meetups, Sreesanth's little daughter happened to see Harbhajan and the girl's words still haunt the Punjab spinner's mind.

 

“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 that I can't do anything."

 

Apart from the 2007 T20 World Cup, Harbhajan and Sreesanth were also part of India's title-winning 2011 ODI World Cup squad. Incidently, Ashwin was also part of that squad, although he was still a rookie in international cricket at that stage.

 

 

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