'Might have been under influence of alcohol’ - Harbhajan Singh slams 'selfish' Lalit Modi for releasing ‘slapgate’ video

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh expressed his displeasure over the ‘slapgate’ video released on Michael Clarke’s Beyond23 Cricket podcast, featuring former IPL Chairman Lalit Modi. The video shows Harbhajan slapping Sreesanth during the IPL 2008 season.

Harbhajan criticised Modi, stating that he was under the influence of alcohol when he released the video. Reflecting on the incident, the off-spinner said he felt regret at the time but has learned from the experience and evolved from his mistakes.

“Honestly, I didn’t understand why there was a need to make it 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 he was thinking when he released the video—maybe he was under the influence of alcohol or just messing around. If I were in their place, I wouldn’t have let any such video come out like that,” Harbhajan said as quoted by The Indian Express.

“Everyone thinks differently. What 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,” he added.

Earlier, Harbhajan had also admitted that the video was released for selfish reasons and noted that people have long forgotten what happened 18 years ago.

“The way the video has resurfaced, that’s very wrong. I believe nobody should do that. Maybe they have some selfish motive in doing that. Because something that happened 18 years ago, people have forgotten, and they are reminding people about it. So I feel bad for whatever incident that happened during that time. Because, we were playing and we were playing, and everyone had things going on in their mind. Mistakes happened, and I do feel ashamed about it,” Harbhajan told Instant Bollywood.

At the time, Sreesanth’s wife, Bhuvneshwari Sreesanth, had described the release of the footage as ‘fearless and inhuman’.

“Shame on you @Lalitkmodi and @Michaelclarkeofficial. You people are not even human to drag up something from 2008 just for your own publicity and views. Both @Sreesanthnair.36 and Harbhajan have long moved on, they are fathers now with children, and yet you try to throw them back into an old wound. Absolutely disgusting, heartless and inhuman,” Bhuvneshwari wrote on her official Instagram.