Malayali cricketer and former Indian fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth has opened up about the infamous 2008 IPL incident in which Harbhajan Singh slapped him during a match. Speaking on a recent YouTube show with Ranjini Haridas, Sreesanth revealed the reasoning behind his restraint.

Why Sreesanth didn’t retaliate

“Many Malayalis have asked me why I didn’t hit back despite showing so much aggression. Some even said I should have hit him down to ground. If I had, I would have faced a lifetime ban. Kerala didn’t have that much power back then. I was the only one playing from Kerala,” he said.

He added:

“Sanju (Sanju Samson) shouldn’t feel anything. Sachin Baby and Nidheesh (M. D. Nidheesh) shouldn’t feel anything. Because I didn’t hit back, a few people were spared. Don’t think I’m saying this out of superiority. That’s my reason. They’ve mentioned it in many stories. When we are powerful, we should use it to help others. My father always says, when we have power, we should help others, not show off in front of those more powerful.”

The 2008 IPL incident

During the inaugural IPL season, Harbhajan Singh, representing Mumbai Indians, slapped Sreesanth, who was playing for Kings XI Punjab. Harbhajan was subsequently banned from the remaining matches that season.

The video of the incident remained unseen for 18 years until former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi recently released it on the Beyond 23 podcast.

Family reaction and demand for action

Sreesanth’s wife, Bhuvaneshwari, said the video had caused deep distress to the family. She emphasised that it not only brings pain to players but also unfairly affects their children, who face questions and social shame over actions that were not theirs. She has demanded legal action against both Harbhajan and Lalit Modi.