Nearly 18 years after one of the most infamous controversies in Indian Premier League history, Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth are again making headlines. Their old fallout from the 2008 IPL has come into focus after Sreesanth recently challenged Harbhajan for a boxing match.
Harbhajan Singh said that if both of them are in the same room, a lot of things will get solved. He expressed his willingness to have Sreesanth as his roommate without any reservations.
"If both of us are in the same room, a lot of things will get solved. I see it from that perspective. You can pick him as my roommate. I have no problems," Singh was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
The 2008 IPL incident and its aftermath
The controversy between the two spinners dates back to the 2008 IPL, when Harbhajan Singh slapped S Sreesanth after a match. The incident became one of the most memorable scenes from the first edition of the IPL, with Sreesanth's emotional reaction on the field capturing widespread attention.
Harbhajan Singh received an 11-match IPL ban along with a heavy fine for the incident. Both players share a significant history in Indian cricket beyond their infamous clash. They were part of India's 2007 T20 World Cup title-winning campaign and the 2011 ODI World Cup title-winning campaign, representing the country during two of its most successful tournament victories.
Sreesanth's recent challenge to Harbhajan came after he saw a picture of himself and Harbhajan wearing boxing gloves. He used the picture to openly challenge Harbhajan to enter the boxing ring with him, marking a new chapter in their long-standing tension.
Sreesanth's boxing 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," Sreesanth continued.
"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," he concluded.