Harbhajan Singh's Instagram post seen as veiled dig at Sreesanth: ‘Humesha khali bartaan hi awaz karte hain’

Harbhajan shares a cryptic Instagram post amid renewed public discourse on his past feud with Sreesanth.

Updated on: Jun 19, 2026, 20:34:53 IST

Written by Probuddha Bhattacharjee

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Harbhajan Singh has shared a cryptic Instagram post at a time when his old controversy with S Sreesanth has again returned to public discussion, prompting several fans to interpret it as a possible response to the former India pacer.

Harbhajan Singh in the Instagram post. (Harbhajan Singh Instagram)

Taking to Instagram, Harbhajan posted a sharp Hindi line: “Kisine bohot khub kaha hain ki karne do jo log bakwaas karte hain, humesha khali bartaan hi to awaaz karte hain.” The line loosely translates to: “Someone has rightly said, let people talk nonsense, it is always the empty vessels that make noise.”

While Harbhajan did not name anyone in the post, the timing of the message has caught attention on social media. Several users linked it to Sreesanth’s recent comments on the long-running ‘slapgate’ episode, one of the most infamous controversies from the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League.

Sreesanth-Harbhajan row returns to spotlight

The old issue resurfaced after Sreesanth accused Harbhajan of making money from a recent advertisement connected to the 2008 incident. Sreesanth claimed that Harbhajan had earned around INR 80 lakh to INR 1 crore from the ad and had even asked him to share it on his own social media. The former Indian pacer also said that he had blocked Harbhajan on Instagram and no longer shared any relationship with him.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Harbhajan Turbanator Singh (@harbhajan3)

The matter escalated further when Sreesanth issued an open challenge to Harbhajan for an in-ring fight. Referring to a promotional image of the two wearing boxing gloves, Sreesanth asked whether Harbhajan had the “guts” to face him in a real fight rather than revisiting the old incident through advertisements.

Also Read: The slap that never left: How the Harbhajan-Sreesanth friendship healed, survived and fractured again

The 2008 slapgate incident took place after an IPL match between the Mumbai Indians and the Kings XI Punjab. Sreesanth was seen in tears after the match, and Harbhajan was later suspended for the remainder of the season. Over the years, the two appeared to have moved past the controversy, with Harbhajan expressing regret on multiple occasions. However, Sreesanth’s recent comments suggest that the issue remains far from closed for him.

Harbhajan’s latest post has now added another layer to the episode. Though there is no direct confirmation that the message was aimed at Sreesanth, the timing has ensured that fans view it through the lens of their renewed public fallout.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Probuddha Bhattacharjee
Probuddha Bhattacharjee is a sports writer and analyst with expertise spanning cricket, football, and multi-sport events, with a strong emphasis on data-driven journalism and tactical storytelling. He currently focuses on international cricket, the Indian Premier League, global tournaments, and emerging trends shaping modern sport, blending advanced statistics with strong narrative context to explain performance, strategy, and decision-making. His work aims to bridge the gap between numbers and storytelling, helping readers understand not just what happened on the field, but the tactical and structural reasons behind it. Trained in data journalism through the Google News Initiative (GNI) Data Journalism Lab, Probuddha works extensively with ball-by-ball datasets, performance metrics, and trend-based modelling to produce evidence-backed reports, explainers, and long-form features. His analytical approach focuses not only on outcomes but also on process—selection strategies, phase-wise tactics, workload management, and the influence of preparation and planning on match results. He is particularly interested in how statistical patterns reshape conventional cricketing narratives and provide clearer tactical insight for modern audiences. Beyond cricket, Probuddha has written analytical and news-driven pieces on football and other major sporting events, with a growing interest in sports governance, scheduling dynamics, and the economics of elite competitions. He also tracks how rule changes, franchise structures, and broadcast pressures influence the evolution of contemporary sport. He has previously contributed to platforms such as OneCricket, Sportskeeda, and CrickTracker, and continues to specialise in analytical storytelling, live coverage, and audience-focused reporting. His work prioritises clarity, context, and credibility, while consistently exploring innovative ways to present data through accessible narratives and structured match analysis.Read More

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