SSreesanth is aiming to make a comeback in the Indian Test team and pick atleast 100 wickets before ending his career after his life ban was reduced to 7 years by the BCCI Ombudsman DK Jain on Tuesday.
The Supreme Court had earlier in the year set aside the life ban imposed by BCCI disciplinary committee for his alleged role in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal and asked the Board Ombudsman to reconsider within three months, the quantum of punishment.
And on Tuesday, Justice DK Jain decided that his ban will end on September 13, 2020 — seven years as compared to the original life ban.
“I am extremely delighted with what I have heard now. Thanks to each one of my well-wishers who prayed for me and the prayers have been answered. I am 36 now and next year I will be 37. I have 87 Test wickets and my aim is I want to finish my career with 100 Test wickets. I am confident that I can return to the Indian Test team and always wanted to play under Virat Kohli,” Sreesanth told the media.
DK Jain considered the fact that Sreesanth co-operated with the inquiry and observed that BCCI could not contest Sreesanth’s plea that the alleged offenses did not substantially damage the IPL’s commercial value.
“In the report of the Commissioner there is no allegation that Mr. Sreesanth did not co-operate in the Inquiry. Additionally, the BCCI has not been able to controvert the specific plea of Mr. Sreesanth that the offences allegedly committed by him did not substantially damage the commercial value of the IPL matches, or even the final result of the subject match,” the Omudsman said in his order.
The ombudsman in his order also observes that BCCI has nothing on record to prove its finding that the cricketer’s conduct was erratic on and off the field.
“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 order further stated.
Sreesanth along with his Rajasthan Royals team mates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were arrested by Delhi police on suspicion of spot-fixing during the sixth edition of the IPL in May 2013.
The BCCI followed the arrest of Sreesanth with their own charges against the player relating to the match against Kings XI Punjab, played on May 9.
Sreesanth has maintained that all the charges against him are false. He has played 27 Tests, 53 one-day internationals and 10 Twenty20 internationals, claiming a total of 169 wickets.
[“source=indiatoday”]
