It is not often we see a comeback in domestic cricket after almost a decade. India’s World Cup 2011-winning member Sreesanth will be donning the whites again with the new red ball in his hand as he returns to Ranji Trophy cricket for Kerala under the leadership of Sachin Baby. The Kerala speedster has been included in the state’s 24 probable players for the upcoming domestic cricket season.
“Thank you very much for the love and support. It is great to be back in the whites again, bowling with the red ball for my team where I started. I am as excited as I was in Under-19 boy who got a red ball for the first time,” the 38-year-old said in a video he posted on Twitter.
The caption of the post read, “Feels great to be back after 9 years playing Ranji trophy for my lovely state really grateful to each and everyone of u, lots of love and respect.”
Sreesanth’s comeback match will be against Vidarbha on January 12, 2022. His last appearance in red-ball cricket was in 2013 for Rest of India against Mumbai in Irani Cup. On the other hand, Sreesanth returned to white-ball cricket playing in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2020-21 and Vijay Hazare Trophy earlier this year.
Spot-fixing allegations and return to pitch
In 2013, Sreesanth was banned for life from all-forms of cricket for spot-fixing allegations in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2013 along with Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan. Two years later, the fast bowler was acquitted in the spot-fixing game. However, in 2017, the life ban was restored by Kerala High Court. In 2019, Supreme Court of India asked Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to reconsider the duration of the ban following which it was reduced to seven years. His ban came to an end in September 2020 which paved the way for his comeback in domestic circuit.
Kerala Probables: Sachin Baby (c), Vishnu Vinod (vc & wk), Anand Krishnan, Rohan Kunnumal, Vatsal Govind, Rahul P, Salman Nizar, Sanju Samson, Jalaj Saxena, Sijomon Joseph, Akshay KC, Mithun S, Basil NP, Nideesh M D, Manu Krishnan, Basil Thampi, Fanoos F, S Sreesanth, Akshay Chandran, Varun Nayanar (wk), Anand Joseph, Vinoop Manoharan, Arun M, Vaishak Chandran.
