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The infamous slapgate incident involving Harbhajan Singh and S. Sreesanth has made headlines again during the current Indian Premier League (IPL) season, following Sreesanth's public criticism of his former teammate. 

Back in 2008, during the very first season of the IPL, Harbhajan slapped Sreesanth in a post-match moment, which led to a lengthy suspension and became one of the league's earliest controversies. Over the years, both players have suggested that they had moved on from that incident. 

However, Sreesanth has recently claimed that a new TV advertisement featuring Harbhajan trivialized the incident for comedic effect, which he believes crossed a line. While he has personally forgiven Harbhajan, he feels that turning the incident into a joke or a marketing opportunity especially without any prior discussion has strained their relationship once again. 

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Sreesanth also alleged that Harbhajan made around ₹1 crore from the ad and even asked him to promote it on social media, which he found to be inappropriate and insensitive. He described this as the tipping point, indicating that what was once forgiven has now become a source of renewed resentment. 

"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.

His latest comments suggest that, for Sreesanth, the issue goes beyond the past incident; it’s about authenticity. His frustration seems to stem from the disconnect between what he perceives as Harbhajan’s public persona and his private intentions. To Sreesanth, this makes Harbhajan's earlier apologies feel less sincere and more like a carefully crafted image. 

The slapgate saga has resurfaced as S. Sreesanth accuses Harbhajan Singh of profiting ₹1 crore from a lighthearted IPL advertisement. Sreesanth argues that the portrayal was insensitive, reigniting old tensions and raising important questions about authenticity, respect, and unresolved issues between the former teammates.