Ahead of crucial disciplinary hearing over the issue, pacer S Sreesanth said today that the incident in which Harbhajan Singh slapped him was actually a “slugfest”, a statement that’s likely to strengthen the case against the temperamental off-spinner, who maybe headed for a minimum punishment of being banned for five Test or 10 ODIs.
Reversing his earlier stance that Harbhajan was like an “elder brother” and the slap was a “hand shake on the wrong side”, Sreesanth told a television channel in his native Kerala that “It was more than a slap, it was like a slugfest. I never expected this reaction from him, I was very surprised.” Harbhajan is to appear before former Indian wicket-keeper Farokh Engineer, who was the Match Referee at the Indian Premier League match at Mohali on Friday after which the slapping incidence took place.
For Mumbai Indians, coach Lalchand Rajput and the team manager would accompany Harbhajan, while Sreesanth will appear along with King’s XI Punjab CEO Neil Maxwell and captain Yuvraj Singh. IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi will also be present on the occasion.
Engineer has already made it clear that the matter would not be swept under carpet.

Source : ptinews.com