The wife of former Indian cricketer S. Sreesanth, Bhuvneshwari Sreesanth, has strongly condemned Lalit Modi and Michael Clarke for resurfacing the infamous "slapgate" incident from the inaugural 2008 IPL season. The controversy, which involved Harbhajan Singh slapping Sreesanth after a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab, has been brought back into the spotlight after Modi revealed unseen footage of the altercation during a podcast with Clarke.
Bhuvneshwari took to social media to express her outrage, calling Modi and Clarke's actions "disgusting, heartless, and inhuman". She argued that both Sreesanth and Harbhajan have moved on from the incident and that dragging it up again serves no purpose other than to generate cheap publicity and views. She highlighted that both players are now fathers with school-going children, and resurfacing the painful episode forces them and their families to relive a traumatic experience.
The "slapgate" incident occurred after Kings XI Punjab defeated Mumbai Indians in a match in Mohali. During the post-match handshake, Harbhajan, then the stand-in captain of Mumbai Indians, slapped Sreesanth. The exact reason for the altercation remains unconfirmed, but reports suggest that some on-field remarks by Sreesanth may have provoked Harbhajan. Following the slap, Sreesanth was seen crying on live television, with teammates consoling him. The incident led to severe repercussions for Harbhajan, who was suspended for the remainder of the IPL season and banned for 11 matches. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also imposed a five-match ODI ban on him.
Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman, claimed to have had unseen footage of the incident captured by his security camera. He revealed the clip on Clarke's "Beyond23 Cricket Podcast," showing Harbhajan slapping Sreesanth with the back of his hand during the post-match handshake. Modi stated that the cameras were off at the time, but his security camera recorded the moment.
The resurfacing of the video has sparked fresh debate and controversy within cricket circles. Some observers believe the video was suppressed to protect the image of the nascent IPL. Others have criticized Modi and Clarke for reopening old wounds and causing unnecessary pain to the players and their families.
Bhuvneshwari emphasized that Sreesanth has rebuilt his life with dignity and grace after facing numerous hardships. She expressed her pain and disappointment at seeing the incident resurface after so many years, stating that it not only hurts the players but also scars their innocent children. She accused Modi and Clarke of chasing views at the expense of the families' well-being.
The incident was a significant controversy during the inaugural IPL season and has remained a talking point in the years since. While Harbhajan has apologized for his actions and both players have seemingly reconciled, the resurfacing of the video has reopened a closed chapter and brought the incident back into the public eye.
