"Grow Up": Harbhajan Singh Trashes Andrew Symonds' Claim He Broke Down While Apologising For "Monkeygate"

Harbhajan Singh has dismissed claims made by Andrew Symonds that he "broke down crying" while apologising to the Australian cricketer for the infamous "monkeygate" scandal and accused him of trying to "sell a story". On Sunday, the Australian all-rounder had claimed that the Indian spinner was in tears when he finally made up with Symonds. According to the Australian, it happened when the pair were awkwardly reunited by the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, Harbhajan took to Twitter and refuted the comments made by Symonds.

"WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN ??? BROKE DOWN ???? WHAT FOR ???," wrote Harbhajan in a tweet.

WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN ??? BROKE DOWN ???? WHAT FOR ??? Harbhajan broke down when apologising for 'monkeygate' - Symondshttps://t.co/eQFeETVChy

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) December 16, 2018

In another tweet, an angry Harbhajan called Symonds a "fiction writer" and urged the Australian to grow up.

I thought he was a very good cricketer but Symonds has turned out to be a good fiction writer - he sold a story then (2008) and he is 'selling a story' now (2018). Mate, the world has come of age in these 10 years and it's time you also grew up

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) December 16, 2018

A decade on from the ugly incident in the 2008 Sydney Test, the Australian said they emotionally called a truce three years later. 

"We go to a very wealthy man's place for a barbecue, drinks and dinner one night and the whole team's there and he had guests there, and Harbhajan said 'mate, can I speak to you for a minute out in the garden out the front'," Symonds told Fox Sports.

"He goes, 'look, I've got to say sorry to you for what I did to you in Sydney. I apologise, I hope I didn't cause you, your family, your friends too much harm and I really apologise for what I said, I shouldn't have said it'.

"And he actually broke down crying, and I could just see that was a huge weight off his shoulders, he had to get rid of it. We shook hands and I gave him a hug and said: 'Mate, it's all good. It's dealt with'."

Harbhajan Singh, who at time denied any wrongdoing, was charged with racial abuse and suspended for three matches. But the ban was overturned when India threatened to quit the tour in what was an all-time low in India-Australia cricket relations.

Symonds, who was born in England with one of his parents of West Indian background, has previously recounted how his life went downhill after the incident.

"I suppose this would be the moment where my whole persona to cricket changed," Symonds, who is commentating on India's current tour of Australia, said of "monkeygate".

"I didn't realise how powerful one player, one incident, how much money was at stake and the ramifications."

(With AFP Inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Australia Cricket Team Harbhajan Singh Andrew Symonds Cricket