Waited For Seven Long Years: S Sreesanth All Set To Make A Comeback

Pacer S Sreesanth is all set to make a comeback in cricket after seven years as be is going to participate in KCA President’s Cup T20 tournament.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), in August 2013 banned Sreesanth along with his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan for a lifetime for indulging in alleged spot-fixing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) that year. However, in 2018, his lifetime ban was reduced to seven years, which was completed in September this year.

Sreesanth looked delighted and excited regarding his participation in KCA President’s Cup T20 tournament. At the same time he is grateful to Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) and the selectors for giving him the opportunity.

“Thanks to the Kerala Cricket Association. I am really grateful to the selectors as well for giving me the opportunity. It is a great initiative taken by the association. Thanks to the BCCI as well, it has been seven long years. I have been training really hard. I am looking forward to the tournament, it is going to be an amazing President’s Cup,” Sreesanth told ANI.

“I will keep giving my best because it is something that I have waited for seven long years… I am very confident, I think I am fitter than I was in 2011, when I played the World Cup,” he added.

On Thursday, KCA had said it would be resuming its cricket activities with the KCA President’s Cup T20 tournament and permission for conducting the same has been requested to the Government Authorities.

“This inaugural T20 tournament will be an annual affair involving six teams selected by a committee constituted by KCA for this purpose. There shall be no franchisees or owners. Each team consists of 14 players and 2 support staff. There will also be 4 players ‘on-call’ for each team, if replacements are required,” KCA had said in a statement.

The teams are KCA Royals, KCA Tigers, KCA Tuskers, KCA Eagles, KCA Panthers and KCA Lions.

A total of 33 matches will be played during the 18-day competition and all will be day-games (two matches/day) with a white ball, colored clothing, and “played as per BCCI playing conditions”, KCA had said.

“All players, support staff and concerned officials shall be brought under a bio-secure environment to minimise the risk of infection through external contact. Strict adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols will be ensured. For this purpose before the commencement of the tournament, KCA will conduct on-line workshops for players/officials, to educate them on the SoPs (standard operating procedures) and on-ground precautionary measures,” the statement had read.