Chennai: Tainted former India pacer S Sreesanth will be considered for selection in the Kerala cricket team. However, only after he proves fitness state team coach Tinu Yohannan said Thursday. Sreesanth’s BCCI ban ends in September.
Hope for Sreesanth
Sreesanth, 37, was banned for life by the BCCI in August 2013. It was for his alleged involvement in the IPL spot-fixing scandal earlier that year. However, BCCI ombudsman DK Jain last year reduced the sentence to seven years.
Coach’s comment
“Sreesanth will be considered for this year’s Ranji Trophy. We are looking forward to having Sreesanth playing for Kerala again. Everyone in Kerala is also looking forward to that,” Yohannan, also a former India pacer, said.
Yohannan said Sreesanth has enough time to work on his fitness. “His (Sreesanth’s) ban will be lifted in September. The good thing is that there is time for him get ready. He is working hard on his game and his fitness..,” the Kerala coach pointed out. “Then we will have to assess his physical fitness and game skills. Sree (Sreesanth) is always in the scheme of things…,” he added.
No training camp now
The domestic season, expected to begin in August, could be rejigged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yohannan also said as there was a lot of uncertainty about game’s resumption. So immediately conducting training camp would have no help. “As of now there is a lot of uncertainty about when cricket will resume. So, planning for camp, practice, etc will have to wait,” he added.
Yohannan also said Sreesanth is in touch with him and is working hard on his game. “Sreesanth has been in constant touch with me. He has been working hard on his bowling and fitness. However, he has not played competitive cricket for some seven years now. So we will have to evaluate fitness and skills. But we will be very happy to welcome him back into the Kerala side,” Yohannan informed. It should be stated here that Yohannan played three Tests and an equal number of ODIs for India.
Good figures
Sreesanth has played 27 Tests and 53 ODIs for India, taking 87 and 75 wickets respectively. He has also taken seven wickets in 10 T20 Internationals.