The infamous and long-standing rivalry between former Indian teammates Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth has taken a fresh turn in the public eye. Harbhajan Singh recently went to Instagram to share a highly cryptic message just as public discussion surrounding their past friction reached a boiling point. Given the tense atmosphere, cricket fans are widely interpreting the social media update as a direct swipe at the former pace bowler.
On his official profile, Harbhajan uploaded a pointed Hindi proverb stating, “Kisine bohot khub kaha hain ki karne do jo log bakwaas karte hain, humesha khali bartaan hi to awaaz karte hain.” The phrase translates into English as, “Someone has rightly said, let people talk nonsense, it is always the empty vessels that make noise.”
Even though the legendary spinner avoided tagging or naming anyone specifically, the strategic timing of the post immediately ignited social media. Fans quickly tied the message to a series of explosive statements made by Sreesanth regarding their notorious 2008 slapgate confrontation during the opening season of the Indian Premier League.
Sreesanth Sparks New Controversy Over Commercial Deal
The decade-old issue exploded back into the limelight after Sreesanth publicly accused Harbhajan of monetizing their old physical altercation through a recent commercial. According to Sreesanth, Harbhajan pocketed between INR 80 lakh and INR 1 crore for the advertisement. Sreesanth further alleged that Harbhajan had the audacity to ask him to promote the commercial on his own social media handles. Annoyed by the situation, the former Kerala speedster revealed that he has officially blocked Harbhajan on Instagram and completely severed all ties with him.
The war of words escalated even further when Sreesanth laid down an open challenge for a real-life boxing match. Pointing to a promotional image where the two cricketers were pictured wearing boxing gloves, Sreesanth openly questioned whether Harbhajan had the “guts” to step into a real ring with him instead of continuously capitalizing on their historical drama for corporate paychecks.
Reminiscing the 2008 Slapgate Incident
The root of the tension dates back to 2008 after a fiery IPL clash between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab. Immediately following the match, television cameras caught Sreesanth sobbing on the field, an incident that led to Harbhajan being banned for the remainder of the tournament.
For a long time, it seemed as though the two athletes had successfully buried the hatchet and repaired their friendship, with Harbhajan expressing deep regret over his actions on multiple public platforms. However, Sreesanth’s recent outbursts make it incredibly clear that the emotional wounds remain wide open for him.
While Harbhajan has not officially confirmed that his quote about empty vessels was dedicated to Sreesanth, the internet is fully convinced that the latest chapter of this classic cricket feud has just begun.
