Following the infamous 2008 IPL slap incident, former Indian pacer S Sreesanth has issued an open challenge to Harbhajan Singh for a boxing match. In response, Harbhajan posted a cryptic video on social media, using a Hindi proverb about 'empty vessels' to seemingly dismiss the challenge without directly naming his ex-teammate.
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh appeared to have responded to his ex-teammate S Sreesanth’s challenge for an in-ring boxing match. Harbhajan and Sreesanth were former Indian teammates, but the two have shared a famously strained relationship ever since the infamous on-field slap incident during the 2008 IPL season.
Though it’s been 18 years since the infamous incident took place, which saw Harbhajan Singh being banned from the remainder of the tournament, Sreesanth apparently carries deep-rooted resentment over how the event impacted his and his family's lives over the years.
In an earlier interview, the former India pacer bluntly stated that he would forgive his former national teammate for the ugly episode, but he would never forget the emotional toll it took on his loved ones.
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Sreesanth’s Open Challenge to Harbhajan
Sreesanth’s outburst came during a recent interaction with Lallantop, where the host showed him an old photograph of the two wearing boxing gloves, and the former India pacer challenged Harbhajan Singh to an in-ring boxing fight to settle their differences once and for all.
Speaking on The Lallantop’s show 'Guest in the Newsroom', Sreesanth asked Harbhajan to show his ‘guts’ and step inside the squared circle, adding that he is calling him out ‘from his heart.’
“Do you have the guts to come into the ring with me? Wearing these same gloves… Let’s see. This is an open challenge," the 43-year-old said.
“I challenge you, Bhajji. If you have this much of a problem with the slap incident and me… come into the ring. I am calling you from my heart," he added.
The opening challenge by S Sreesanth to Harbhajan Singh apparently stems from years of lingering bitterness and unhealed wounds stemming from the initial 2008 controversy. Though the cricket fans moved past the ugly episode, which shook the Indian cricket fraternity at the time, the two former teammates have continually found themselves pulled back into the controversy.
Harbhajan Singh’s Cryptic Response
Hours after S Sreesanth’s open boxing challenge went viral on social media, Harbhajan Singh took to Instagram to share a cryptic video that appeared to perfectly address the situation without giving his former teammate the direct satisfaction of a response.
Harbhajan refrained from taking Sreesanth’s name in the video, but the post spoke volumes to its undeniable timing. The former India spinner cited a classic Hindi proverb to make his stance clear on the challenge, shutting down the noise without any engaging in a physical showdown.
"Kisine bohot khub kaha hai ki karne do jo log bakwaas karte hain, hamesha khali bartaan hi to awaaz karte hain," Harbhajan said. (Someone has very rightly said that let people talk nonsense, it is always the empty vessels that make noise.)
Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth were part of India’s 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup title-winning campaigns, but their shared glory on the field was ultimately overshadowed by their turbulent off-field relationship.
Though Harbhajan moved past the incident, as he has indicated multiple times over the years, Sreesanth’s refusal to let the past go has kept the tension constantly simmering in the public eye.
