NEW DELHI: Former India fast bowler S Sreesanth has reignited his infamous feud with Harbhajan Singhthrowing an open challenge to the former spinner for a fight in the ring almost two decades after IPLthe infamous ‘Slapgate’ controversy.In explosive remarks made during an appearance at Lallantop, Sreesanth accused Harbhajan of repeatedly profiting from the 2008 incident and challenged his former India teammate to settle their differences in a real fighting contest.“This same scene, do you have the courage? Do you have the guts to enter the ring with me? Can you sign and come?” Sreesanth said referring to an old promotional picture of the couple wearing boxing gloves.“Wearing those same gloves? This is not acting. I’m smiling. You’re not even smiling, I don’t know what you’re doing. Let’s see. This is an open challenge,” he added.
‘If you have a problem with me, get in the ring’
Sreesanth, who recently joined the Bear Knuckle Fight League, doubled down on his challenge and urged Harbhajan to resolve the issue inside the ring instead of revisiting the controversy through advertisements.“I’m in the Bear Knuckle Fight League right now. I challenge you, Bhajji,” he said. “If you have this much problem with slapping and with me, and you earn this much… let me earn too. Get in the ring. I’m calling you from the bottom of my heart.”“If we have any self-respect, let’s not do commercials and all that. In a proper way, for all the Malayalis and all the Sardars, please come. I’m waiting,” he said.
Sreesanth says the controversial ad has reopened old wounds
The former pacer revealed that until recently he had never spoken publicly about Harbhajan and the 2008 incident, claiming that a new commercial featuring the former spinner had rekindled painful memories.“I have never spoken about Bhajji in any interview. This will be the first time,” Sreesanth told Mathrubhumi when the new Harbhajan ad came out. “Until recently, there was no problem, but he made an ad about it again. He made about Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1 crore from it.”Sreesanth said the ad prompted him to cut ties with Harbhajan again.“If someone wrongs you, you should forgive them, but never forget. If you forget, they will do the same again. He is the biggest example of that,” he said. “I have no relationship with that person. I called him brother. But in the last two months he made that ad and now I’ve blocked him on Instagram.”The comments revived memories of the 2008 IPL ‘Slapgate’ episode, when Harbhajan, then representing Mumbai Indians, slapped Sreesanth after a match against Kings XI Punjab. Harbhajan later apologized and was suspended for the rest of the season, and both players seem to have reconciled in the years that followed.However, Sreesanth’s latest outburst suggests that the wounds from one of the most controversial off-field incidents in Indian cricket are far from healed.
