'What for?': Indian legend denies 'Monkeygate' apology

Former Indian Test spinner Harbhajan Singh has seemingly refuted claims he had tearfully apologised to Andrew Symonds over ‘Monkeygate’.

Symonds was allegedly called a monkey by Singh during a heated 2008 Test match at the SCG.

The Australian allrounder alleges Singh had also called him a monkey during a previous ODI clash, but said the star spinner promised not to do it again after that match.

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Singh has previously claimed he never called Symonds a monkey during the SCG Test but rather the Hindi slur ‘teri maa ki’.

The controversial spinner was initially handed a three-match Test ban at the time, but it was later overturned as the powerful BCCI flexed its considerable muscle.

Symonds said the pair put the feud to bed a few years later when they played together for IPL side Mumbai Indians.

“When I first arrived, there was deafening silence in the dressing shed when I walked in. There was a pink elephant in the corner. You could feel it,” Symonds said in a Fox Cricket documentary Monkeygate – Ten Years On.

“We (went) 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?’.

“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’.”

However, Singh was surprised to see that version of events on Sunday in news outlets.

“WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN ??? BROKE DOWN ???? WHAT FOR ???,” Singh tweeted.

The differing version of events is set to drag out the drama.

Symonds said his career spiralled downhill after the ‘Monkeygate’ incident.

“I suppose this would be the moment where my whole persona to cricket changed,” Symonds said.

“I didn’t realise the politics, the power, the money until this moment in my career.

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

“I went downhill pretty fast after this because I felt responsible for four of my mates, close mates (Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist), that I dragged into this whole situation and it beared very heavily on me.

“I started drinking way too much and my cricket, my mindset – I started to go downhill; I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind.”