Former India fast bowler S Sreesanth has thrown down a public challenge to ex-India spinner Harbhajan Singh, saying he is ready to “settle things” in the ring amid fresh bitterness linked to the IPL 2008 ‘slapgate’ episode.
The latest flare-up comes after Harbhajan shot an advertisement inspired by the infamous incident, a move that has again turned the old controversy into a flashpoint. During an interaction on Lallantop, Sreesanth was shown an old photograph of himself and Harbhajan dressed in boxing gear, prompting him to issue an open invitation for an in-ring fight.
What Sreesanth said on Lallantop
Reacting to the image, Sreesanth questioned whether Harbhajan would be willing to step into the ring with him and framed it as a direct, public challenge.
“This same scene, do you have the guts? Do you have the guts to come into the ring with me? Can you sign and come? Can you? I am asking him. Do you have the guts to come into the ring with me? Wearing this same gloves… This is not acting, I am smiling. You are not even smiling, I don’t know what you are doing. Let’s see. This is an open challenge,” Sreesanth said.
Sreesanth also referenced his current involvement in combat sports, adding context to why he believes the challenge is realistic rather than symbolic.
“I am currently in the Bear Knuckle Fight League, and I am also one of the main sponsors of Conor McGregor’s video; one of my good friends sponsored it, so the promotion is also done. I am challenging you, Bhajji (Harbhajan Singh),” he added.
He then reiterated the call for Harbhajan to face him in the ring, suggesting that if the issue remains unresolved, they should address it directly rather than through advertisements.
“I challenge you, Bhajji. If you have this much of a problem with the slap thing and me, and you earn this much… let me earn too. Come into the ring. I am calling you from my heart. If we have some self-respect, let’s not do ads and all that. In a genuine way, for all the Malayalis and all the Sardars, please come. I am waiting,” Sreesanth said.
Why the ‘slapgate’ episode is back in focus
Sreesanth and Harbhajan were central figures in one of Indian cricket’s biggest controversies when the ‘slapgate’ incident took place during the Indian Premier League in 2008. The report notes that the two retired cricketers had appeared to have healed old wounds over time, but the episode has resurfaced as a point of tension after Harbhajan’s advertisement drew inspiration from it.
With Sreesanth now making an explicit in-ring challenge, the dispute has moved beyond interviews and public commentary into a direct call for a face-off. Whether Harbhajan responds to the open challenge remains to be seen, but Sreesanth’s remarks have ensured the long-running storyline has once again become a major talking point.
