A day after his acquittal in the sensational 2013 IPl spot-fixing case, cricketer S Sreesanth landed in Kochi, his hometown, on Sunday morning to a rousing welcome accorded by his family, fans, friends and well-wishers on his return from Delhi after hearing the court’s verdict even as the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) began efforts to get the BCCI ban on him lifted.
“I am happy that I have got my life and career back. I thank all Keralites, friends and my family for giving me support all this while. I think I will be able to start playing cricket soon,” Sreesanth said as he came out of the Kochi International Airport at Nedumbassery.
He said he was determined to start training on Sunday itself and was prepared to play any matches he was allowed to. Sreesanth’s fans had thronged the airport and his family was there to receive him. He was welcomed with sweets and cheerful shouts of “Sree Ki Jai”. He shook hands with many of the fans as he walked out of the airport terminal.
Asked about the trauma he underwent when charges were framed against him linking him with Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel, he said, “I wouldn’t have been a cricketer if I had known such people… The money I earned is hard-earned. The question was about my commitment and my personality. I am happy now that I am discharged from all charges.”
The KCA on Sunday wrote a letter to the BCCI requesting revocation of the life ban imposed on Sreesanth after he was named an accused and arrested in the IPl-VI spot-fixing case. KCA officials could be going to Mumbai to talk directly with BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmia and secretary Anurag Thakur on the matter.
Meanwhile, reports from Delhi quoted Sreesanth’s lawyer Rebecca John as saying that they would take legal steps to remove the BCCI’s ban on him. The lawyer said that the board’s sticking to its ban even after he was acquitted by the court was unacceptable, adding that they would begin the legal proceedings once they got the copy of Saturday’s court verdict.