Sreesanth wouldn’t have to wait for long to enter into the crease again! BCCI today reduced Former India paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth’s life ban to 7 years. In an order, BCCI Ombudsman Justice (Retd.) DK Jain said that the ban will be for seven years, beginning on 13.09.2013 — date from which the ban imposed by BCCI Disciplinary Committee began.
Sreesanth, who will be 37 years of age by the time the ban ends next year, will be eligible to play cricket professionally as well as be allowed to be associated with the sport as a coach or mentor or TV commentator/expert in the future. The order will now be put in front of Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) in the next meeting, who are expected to give the go-ahead to BCCI to lift Sreesanth’s ban.
In April this year, a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and KM Joseph said that BCCI Ombudsman would reconsider within three months, the quantum of punishment for Sreesanth for his involvement in the spot-fixing episode. The Kerala paceman turned out in 27 Tests, 53 ODIs and 10 T20Is for India, claiming 169 wickets in all. He last played for India back in 2011.
“Although the BCCI has referred to his erratic behaviour, both on and off the field, with fellow players, but nothing has been brought on record by the BCCI to show that any sanction was imposed on him in the past. On the contrary, he was regularly participating in the national and international matches.
The cricketer was haunted since 2013 when he was banned for the alleged match-fixing. The passionate player was thrown out of field. “It has been a period of trials. My father had to go for heart surgery, mother’s ankle had to be amputated and financial crises made me even to try my luck in acting movies. Nevertheless, I never gave up.” Sreesanth responded. “A day, my children wearing jersey inscribed my name watching me playing cricket again, is my dream. I hope this will happen,” Sreesanth added.
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