Indian cricketer S Sreesanth, who was part of India’s victory in the T20 World Cup 2007 and World Cup 2011, has to live without cricket for over seven years. The pacer was accused of spot-fixing in IPL 2013 and was banned for life. However, his ban period was reduced to seven years in August 2019. So, in September, this year, he will be available to play for India.
Sreesanth wants to be the part of World Test Championship:
The 37-year-old hopes to make a strong comeback, but he wants to take gradual steps. He first wants to play for his state team, Kerela, to prove his ability to team management. He wishes to be part of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship 2019-21.
“I hope someday I will be able to play for India again. World Test Championship excites me and my goal will be to play that. My first target is to get into the Kerala team, and hope to make an impact there. I will go through whatever needs to be done and hopefully, one day I will see myself back in India colour,” Sreesanth, 37, said while pointing towards his various India jerseys hanging on the wall.
Viru bhai, Laxman bhai stay in touch with me: Sreesanth
Sreesanth’s life was not the same after he was accused of the crime. He lost his friends in Team India. The pacer said that Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman are the players with whom he is in constant touch. He is also in contact with Harbhajan Singh and Gautam Gambhir.
“Now, I do speak to many players. I spoke to Sachin (Tendulkar) paaji recently on twitter. Viru (Sehwag) paaji, we keep messaging each other and Gautam (Gambhir), I met him recently,” Sreesanth told India Today.
“Publicly, most the players used to avoid me except for Viru bhai, Laxman bhai and just three-four others would stay in touch with me. I also understood their apprehensions and I also didn’t make an effort to engage with them as there were court proceedings going on against me. But then things improved in a couple of years.
“I met Bhajju pa at the airport not too long ago and I told him when I start playing cricket I will use the bat manufactured by BhajjiSports,” added Sreesanth, whose seven-year ban comes to an end in September this year.
Sreesanth last played for India in 2011 against England in the Test series. He has played 27 Test matches, 53 ODIs and 10 T20Is, picking 87 Test wickets, 75 ODI wickets and seven Test wickets.