An animated, aggressive, curly-haired fast bowler – S Sreesanth with a hooping outswinger had carved a niche for him in international cricket in a very short span. Two-time World Cup winner and consistent success in international cricket – the fast bowler from Kerala was shedding fire when his career took a wrong turn which took away his life for seven long years. And till now, Sreesanth is still waiting for the day when he can finally resume playing.

The biggest shock in his volatile career came when he was among three Rajasthan Royals players arrested in May 2013, along with Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, for the alleged fulfilling of promises made to bookmakers in the IPL. In September, the BCCI’s disciplinary committee found him guilty of spot-fixing and banned him for life.

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While everyone thought it was over for Kerala’s only hat-trick taker, Sreesanth didn’t lose hope. His real-life was far more interesting than the plot of his films. The fast bowler challenged the decision and finally, in 2015 the Patiala House Court in Delhi dropped the charges against him.

In February 2017, Sreesanth filed a petition in Kerala High Court to have his ban overturned. In August it was. The BCCI; however, appealed, and two months later the court overturned its own earlier judgement. And finally came the Supreme Court, in 2018.

The highest court in the land, at last, provided a definitive sense of closure to the case, asking the BCCI in March 2019 to set aside the life ban and consider afresh a new quantum of punishment. The court, however, found no violation in principles of natural justice from the BCCI.

Finally, BCCI ombudsman, headed by DK Jain felt at 36, Sreesanth’s best years as a player and specifically as a fast bowler may already be over. The Ethics Officer felt a ban spanning seven years – lasting till September 14, 2020 – will meet the ends of justice.

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As the ban ends in four months, we sat down with the most eventful name in Indian cricket for a small chat. Sreesanth greeted with a broad smile as he had when he had just burst onto the international circuit. The cricketer, who idolises the great Olympian PT Usha, admits that he is far away from giving up and is eyeing the 2023 ICC World Cup which will take place in India. Sreesanth hopes to replicate history from 2011 and finish his career on a positive note just like the person he is in real life.

“T20 World Cup is in 2020 and 2021. But one thing I am really looking forward is 2023 World Cup. Win that World Cup and the retire, that is what my dream will be. That is going to be a miracle, but I am going to give my heart out and give my very best,” Sreesanth said to Cricfit. 

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“I know there are much better bowlers right now, much better cricketers. I am working on my batting also, so I will make sure I don’t give anything to talk except for my performance. I have learnt it in the hardest way possible. I have seen the hardest of the hardest times that I have only made me a better cricketer and a better person.  This is really helping me in my life and I won’t give up till 2024,” he added as the determination of wearing the blue colours was evident in his eyes. 

The catch of Misbah-ul-Haq in the 2007 World T20 final against Pakistan, the celebration after dismantling Matthew Hayden’s timber or after hitting Andrew Nel for a towering six; the memories are still fresh. Sreesanth has paid for his deeds and its high time he returns where he belongs as the entire nation waits to see him don the India jersey again very soon.