Sreesanth cleared by court, still faces life ban by BCCI

For Sreesanth, the storm may have passed but dark clouds still loom in the sky

Shanthakumaran Sreesanth made his first appearance on Tuesday in front of the media after being cleared by the Delhi court of spot-fixing charges reported The Hindu.

Even though the bowler had been acquitted, the charge and the consequent investigations and banning had clearly taken its toll on the once loud, arrogant and unruly cricketer.  

The player addressed the press in a measured, composed voice and said “There is life beyond cricket,” he said and added that “forgive, but not forget,” will be the principle he intends to follow for the rest of his life.

He recalled the ‘friend’, Jiju Janardhanan, because of whom his life had so severely derailed.  The player seems to have taken the higher moral ground and forgiven the villain of his story, however, he still finds it hard to grasp what Jiju did to him.

“I still don’t believe he betrayed me but no friendship is above my family,” said Sree, as he is affectionately referred to by those close to him.

However, something even more incomprehensible is the idea of not playing cricket for the rest of his life, which is the very fate rendered to him by the life ban imposed on him by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)

“Hopefully, I can play an international match in the stadium before I die,” Sree said, as he recalled wistfully his time on the pitch.

Sreesanth along with the other two cricketers, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila, had to be incarcerated while their spot-fixing charge was being investigated.

When talking about his jail experience, Sreesanth’s composed demeanour shattered and in a tearful voice he continued and said, “I don’t know whether I have enemies who conspired to land me there, but, even if there are, I would not wish the same fate even for them.”

The trails for the bowler however, seem to be far from over as on Wednesday BCCI said Sreesanth’s life ban is here to stay, despite him being exonerated by the Patiala House Court.

“The earlier decision of BCCI’s disciplinary committee ban on this case will stay on,” said BCCI secretary, Anurag Thakur.

“Disciplinary proceedings are different, criminal proceedings are different. The action taken in the past was based on the disciplinary action for the indiscipline of these players, reports submitted by the anti-corruption unit. So the same decision of ban will continue on these players,” he added.

According to the Press Trust of India, the Kerala association is backing the cricketer, and with their help, Sreesanth hopes that a meeting with Thakur and an application submitted to the board will turn the tide in his favour.

“I am hopeful after indication from the higher-ups of the BCCI that it would consider my request. So I want to file an application. I am waiting for his (Thakur) call. I hope the next meeting of the BCCI would take a favourable decision.”