Fast bowler S. Sreesanth said that while he is open to playing for India again if given the opportunity, he is not back in the Kerala Ranji set up to compete. “I’m not here to compete, I’m just here to help and share my experiences and in that process, if the selectors give me a chance then why not, I would like to play the 2021 Test Championships final if India plays in it,” he told the New Indian Express.
IANS had earlier reported that the Kerala Cricket Association had said that it would consider the 37-year-old after his ban ends in September for the Kerala Ranji team. Sreesanth said that there is no longer a fear of failure for him.
“I’ve been blessed to get this opportunity. There is no fear of failure or success. A lot of people don’t want to compete because of a fear of failure or even of success, they don’t know what to do with success,” he said.
“I think I am blessed to have a balanced approach now. Thanks to my family and Malayalees across the globe for standing by me. My approach now is to just share experiences and help players, regardless of who they are.”
The BCCI had banned Sreesanth for life in August 2013 for his alleged involvement in the spot-fixing scandal that rocked the 2013 Indian Premier League. In 2015, however, a special court in Delhi acquitted him of all charges.
In 2018, the Kerala High Court had struck down the life ban imposed on the cricketer by the BCCI and also quashed all proceedings against him. However, a division bench of the High Court restored the ban.
Sreesanth then moved the Supreme Court against the order. And last year in March, the apex court upheld his guilt but asked the BCCI to reduce his quantum of punishment. The cricket board then reduced his life ban to seven years which will come to an end in August this year.
Sreesanth, 37, has so far played 27 Tests, 53 ODIs, and 10 T20Is in which he scalped 87, 75, and 7 wickets respectively.
