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"I Hit Her Father" - Harbhajan Singh’s Confession That Still Haunts Him
Follow UsIt was during a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab when Harbhajan, then with MI, slapped Sreesanth after the game
Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has opened up about the infamous Slapgate incident involving S Sreesanth during the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. Speaking on R Ashwin’s YouTube show Kutti Stories, Harbhajan said that if given a chance, he would erase that episode from his life.
It was during a match between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) when Harbhajan, then with MI, slapped Sreesanth after the game. “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,” Harbhajan said.
“What I felt so bad about was that even years after that incident, I have been apologising every opportunity or stage I get. It was a mistake. We all make mistakes, and we hope and try never to repeat such mistakes.
“He was my teammate, and we were playing together. Yes, in that game we were opponents. But it shouldn’t have gone to the level where we behaved in such a manner. So yeah, that was my fault, and the only fault of his was that he provoked me — but that’s okay, actually. However, what I did was not okay. I said, ‘Sorry’.
“What hurt me even more, years later, was when I met his daughter. 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 kept asking myself - what kind of impression have I 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, knowing I can’t undo what happened. I keep telling her, ‘If there’s anything I can do to make you feel better, or make you think I’m not that kind of person, please tell me.’
“I just hope that when she grows up, she doesn’t see me in the same light. I hope she sees that her uncle is someone who will always be there for her and support her in any way he can. That’s why I want to remove that chapter.”
Harbhajan enjoyed a decorated IPL career, representing MI, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He finished with four titles and 150 wickets at an economy rate of 7.07.