Kochi: Former Indian fast bowler S. Sreesanth has been handed a three-year suspension by the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA). The decision, made during the association's latest annual general body meeting, was officially announced in a statement released on Friday.
“The statement of Sreesanth attacking the KCA for Kerala cricketer Sanju Samson not being included in the national side for the Champions Trophy tournament was baseless and needless. Hence, we have decided to suspend him for three years from the KCA,” read the statement.
Sreesanth has alleged that Sanju Samson was deliberately sidelined by the KCA last year, which ultimately led to his exclusion from India's Champions Trophy squad. Sreesanth is currently awaiting official communication from the KCA regarding his three-year suspension and, according to sources, is considering legal action against the decision.
This is not the first controversy surrounding Sreesanth. In 2023, he was served a legal notice by the Legends League Cricket (LLC) Commissioner following his heated remarks about an on-field altercation with Gautam Gambhir, the current head coach of the Indian men's team.
S. Sreesanth’s troubles began during his final IPL match for the Rajasthan Royals against Punjab on May 9, 2013, when he was accused of involvement in a spot-fixing scandal that led to his arrest. Though Sreesanth always maintained his innocence throughout the controversy, he was handed a life ban along with Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila.
The fast bowler later challenged the ban in the Supreme Court, which overturned the life suspension and directed the BCCI to reassess the punishment. As a result, his sentence was reduced to a seven-year suspension, which concluded in September 2020.
Thereafter, Sreesanth played for Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2021. He also made his Ranji Trophy comeback, and he played his last match for Kerala against Meghalaya in the 2021-22 edition, finishing with 2 for 40 and 0 for 57 in the two innings. Soon, he announced his retirement, finishing his career with 213 wickets in 74 first-class games while he picked up 124 wickets in 92 appearances in List A cricket. Sreesanth also played 65 T20 matches in which he bagged 54 wickets.
Sreesanth made his international debut for India in October 2005 in an ODI against Sri Lanka. Over his career, he played 53 ODIs, claiming 75 wickets, along with 27 Test matches, where he took 87 wickets, and 10 T20Is, in which he bagged seven wickets.
(inputs from IANS)