Harbhajan Singh and Ravichandran Ashwin, two of India’s finest off-spinners, have long been the subject of speculation regarding a possible rivalry between them. With both playing key roles at different stages for Team India, fans and commentators have often wondered whether Ashwin’s rise coinciding with the end of Harbhajan’s career led to personal tension. Now, the two legends have addressed the matter directly in a heartfelt conversation.
In a new episode of Ashwin’s YouTube series Kutti Stories With Ash, the Tamil Nadu spinner invited Harbhajan for a candid discussion. The tone was friendly, but Ashwin did not shy away from touching upon the lingering rumours of jealousy and rivalry. Ashwin debuted in 2011, during the later years of Harbhajan’s international career, and soon took over the lead spinner role in the team.
Speaking honestly, Harbhajan dismissed the idea that he was ever jealous of Ashwin or any teammate. “Do you think I am jealous of you?” he asked Ashwin during the chat. “You are sitting with me today, talking at length. Do you think I am that kind of person?” His statement was a clear attempt to put the long-standing narrative to rest once and for all.
The conversation turned thoughtful when Ashwin said that jealousy, if it ever existed, is not inherently wrong. “Even if you were jealous at one point in time, I think it’s justified. That is my point, and I will never take it wrong because we are all human,” said Ashwin. His words reflected maturity and understanding of the emotional complexities in a competitive team environment.
Ashwin also noted that he himself has been the subject of speculation, such as claims that he was sidelined due to Washington Sundar’s rise. “All of this is just perspective,” he said, underlining how public opinions are often disconnected from the truth. Ultimately, their chat provided a refreshing moment of clarity, as both spinners showed there was never bad blood, just mutual respect and a shared passion for the game.
Harbhajan Singh Reveals heart-wrenching Conversation With Sreesanth's Daughter over Slapgate Scandal
During the same conversation, Harbhajan opened up on the infamous slapgate saga, involving S Sreesanth in IPL 2008. The 103-Test veteran stated that he regrets that incident happened and revealed a heart-wrenching conversation with Sreesanth's daughter.
According to a report by ESPN Cricinfo, a smiling Sreesanth walked up to Harbhajan and said 'Hard luck' after the Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings match. It was at that moment that the 45-year-old lost his cool and Sreesanth got slapped, leading him to being in tears.
Speaking to Ashwin, Harbhajan stated that Sreesanth's daughter didn't want to speak to him, given he had hit his father. The 45-year-old disclosed that the chat with the former pacer's daughter shattered his heart. He elaborated:
"One thing I’d want to change in my life is that incident with Sreesanth. I want to remove that incident from my career. That is the incident I would change from my list. What transpired was wrong and I shouldn’t have done what I did. I apologised 200 times. What I felt so bad was even years after that incident, I have been apologising every opportunity or stage I get. What hurt me even after many years was when I met his daughter and I was talking to her with a lot of love and she said, ‘I don’t want to talk to you. You hit my father.’ My heart was shattered and I was on the verge of tears. I was asking myself what is the impression I’ve left on her?"
The incident from Harbhajan sparked backlash and ensured that the finger spinner was banned from the 2008 edition from the remaining matches of the tournament.
