The slapgate episode between Harbhajan Singh and S. Sreesanthhas resurfaced during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), after Sreesanth publicly criticised his former teammate.

Back in the inaugural IPL season in 2008, Harbhajan slapped Sreesanth during a post-match moment, leading to a lengthy suspension and one of the league’s earliest controversies. Over the years, both players had indicated that they had moved past the incident.

However, Sreesanth now claims that a recent TV advertisement featuring Harbhajan made light of the episode for humor. According to him, this crossed a line. While he had forgiven Harbhajan personally, turning the incident into a comedic or commercial opportunity, especially without mutual understanding, has damaged their relationship again.

Sreesanth further alleged that Harbhajan earned close to ₹1 crore from the ad and even asked him to share it on social media, which he found inappropriate and insensitive. He described this as the breaking point, suggesting that what was once forgiven has now become a source of renewed bitterness.

"I have never spoken about Bhajji in any interview. This is going to be the first time. Until recently there were no problems, but he made an ad about it once again. He made around Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1 crore off it. He then called me and asked me to put a story on it. I told him, ‘I'll forgive but I'll never forget’. If someone wrongs you, you should forgive them but never forget. If you forget, they will do the same thing again. He is the biggest example for that. There is no doubt about that,” said Sreesanth to Mathrubhumi.

Sreesanth’s latest remarks suggest that, for him, the issue isn’t just the old incident, it’s about authenticity. His frustration appears rooted in the gap between what he sees as Harbhajan’s public behavior and private intent. To Sreesanth, this makes those earlier gestures feel less like genuine remorse and more like carefully managed optics.

"I have no relationship with that person. I used to call him a brother. But in that last 1 or 2 months he did that ad and now I have blocked him on Instagram. My parents have taught me to forgive but never forget. I don't have any complaints against him, nor do I need him. May God bless him and his family. In many interviews, even with Ashwin, he talked about my daughter. People will think oh what a great person he is. He might be a great person. But for me from my time playing for India to now, in my opinion, it's all an act. That act is something Sreesanth doesn't accept,” said Sreesanth.