'Maybe he was under the influence…': Harbhajan on Lalit Modi releasing IPL slapgate video

New Delhi, Oct 5 (IANS) Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh blasted former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi for releasing a video clip of the infamous slapgate incident involving the off-spinner and pacer S. Sreesanth from 2008, saying he “must have been under the influence” while doing so.

On August 29, Modi, who was the chairman and commissioner of the IPL at that time, shared the clip of the incident from IPL 2008 between Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth during an interview with former Australian captain Michael Clarke on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast.

"I didn't understand why there was a need to make it public. Everyone thinks differently. Whatever happened was wrong, and I have already apologised for it. What happened between me and Sreesanth at that time was not right. As a sportsman, I don't think I should have done that. People learn from their mistakes, and if I had enough understanding back then, I wouldn’t have done it," Harbhajan told IANS.

According to a video shared by Modi that later went viral on social media, then-Mumbai Indians captain Harbhajan struck Sreesanth with a backhanded slap under the eye during the post-match handshake between the two teams. The incident provoked an angry reaction from Sreesanth, who charged toward Harbhajan, prompting a similar response from the spinner. A physical brawl was narrowly avoided as Irfan Pathan and Mahela Jayawardene quickly intervened to separate the two players.

The shocking incident caught the media's attention and sparked widespread criticism of Harbhajan's behaviour, and he later apologised for the physical altercation. The incident led to a disciplinary hearing, and Harbhajan was banned for the rest of the season. The BCCI later banned the spinner for five ODIs for slapping Sreesanth.

The veteran off-spinner further remarked that, had he been in Modi’s position, he would have ensured that such footage was never released, given the sensitivity of the matter.

"Whatever happened 18 years ago, bringing it up again in public—I really don’t understand the motive behind that. I feel it would have been better if it hadn’t come out because there was no need for it. I don’t know what they were thinking when they released the video—maybe they were under the influence or just messing around. If I were in their place, I wouldn’t have let any such video come out like that," he added.

--IANS

bc/bsk/