NEW DELHI: Ahead of Monday's crucial disciplinary hearing over the issue, pacer S Sreesanth said on Sunday 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.
"We are not going to sweep things under the carpet. The complaint has to be carefully examined before any decision is made. Everything possible will be done to adjudicate it immediately," Engineer said.
After the incident, both Harbhajan and Sreesanth tried to downplay it. The off-spinner claimed the issue has been "sorted out" and the pacer remarked that Harbhajan was like his "elder brother".
Apart from appearing before Engineer, who has already suspended him pending Monday's hearing, Harbhajan also has to respond by Monday to the showcause notice by BCCI, which has taken a tough stance on the incident.
The BCCI may subsequently also order a disciplinary hearing because Harbhajan's action amounts to Level 4 offence of the ICC Code of Conduct, under which he can be banned for life or a minimum of five Test or 10 ODI matches.
