Kerala Cricket Association suspends Sreesanth for three years

Introduction
 

Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, previously an Indian fast bowler, has once again hit the headlines in cricket updates around the country, this time for a three-year span imposed by the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA). The 43-year-old cricket player, whose fiery pace bowling combined with fiery temperament comes as a package, has been suspended for supposedly making "false and derogatory" remarks against the state cricket board, thereby adding another controversial chapter to his turbulent career.

All about Sreesanth’s career
 

The Kerala Cricket Association takes its decision after Sreesanth openly criticized the state board's selection policies and management decisions. The whole thing flared up when Sreesanth announced openly that he was supporting Kerala-born wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson in his constituency, who was stripped off from the Kerala squad in the Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy earlier this year. The outspoken criticism of the decision made by the KCA of leaving Samson out of the team, a player who has played for India in T20 internationals and is a known face in the IPL, seems to have been the last of the many straws the state cricket association could take.
 

The KCA has a firm position against what they describe as "false and derogatory" comments by Sreesanth on different forums, such as social media and television interviews. The disciplinary committee at the board decided that the above statements were detrimental to the image of the association and were contrary to the code of conduct that players and former players are supposed to follow.

"We have just one player at the international level, Sanju. Let's all support him. The so-called KCA has not produced an international cricketer since Sanju. We have great players like Sachin, Nidheesh, Vishnu Vinod, and many others, but are they (KCA) pushing them to play at a higher level?" said Sreesanth in an interview (as per India Today)

The suspension will bar Sreesanth from any cricket activities undertaken by KCA for the next three years, and this will send him out of any mentor roles, coaching positions, or any official function of KCA cricket. This development is at a time when Sreesanth has rebranded himself to become a cricket analyst and a mentor after retiring from all forms of cricket in 2022. According to cricket analysts, this controversy may only intensify conduct on the part of Kerala cricket, since Sreesanth is highly popular among fans and a number of players. The exclusion of Sanju Samson had already caused debates on how players are selected, and Sreesanth's suspension may continue to fuel such debates.
 

It is not the first suspension experienced by Sreesanth in his cricket career. His most infamous suspension occurred in 2013, when he was involved in the IPL spot fixing scandal while playing for Rajasthan Royals. Initially, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issued a lifetime ban on him, meaning his cricketing career came to an end when he was still only 30 years old.

Rahul Dravid's life ban was upheld by the Supreme Court of India in 2014 but was subsequently reduced to seven years after a long legal fight that lasted close to six years. The ban ended in September 2020. This paved the way for a return to domestic cricket for Sreesanth, joining Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2020-21 season.

Earlier in his career, Sreesanth was disciplined during the South Africa tour in 2007, when he was also fined 60% of his match fee for his behaviour on the field of a test match. In 2008, he received notorious "slapgate" action during an IPL game when he slapped Harbhajan Singh, which led to more controversies but no official suspension.
 

Though surrounded by controversies, Sreesanth's contributions on the cricket field cannot be overlooked. He played for India in 27 Tests and 53 ODIs and 10 T20I between 2005 and 2011. The most infamous of his 2007 ICC World Twenty20 moment was in South Africa when he took the all-important catch of Misbah-ul-Haq in the finals against Pakistan, which helped India win the first-ever T20 World Cup. Due to his ability to swing the ball at a substantial pace, Sreesanth played a massive role in several of India's away victories, the historic Test win at Wanderers in Johannesburg in the year 2006 and the win at Perth the following year, 2008. He took 87 wickets in Test cricket and had the highest bowling figures of 5/40.

The public statements by Sreesanth, which saw him favour Sanju Samson, responsible for his present suspension, reveal an intricate insight into the Kerala cricket followerships. Samson, who leads Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, has been a mercurial player with the Indian national team, in spite of being a player who cannot be questioned for talent. His non-inclusion in domestic Kerala teams caused questions, especially given the rise in his level in international cricket.
 

Sreesanth's lobbying for Samson appealed to numerous cricket fans who feel the wicketkeeper-batsman should be given more chances. However, the way Sreesanth showed his support, reportedly through insults directed towards KCA officials and suspicions of their integrity crossed the line, as far as the state association was concerned.
 

Having been suspended for three years now, Sreesanth's future and links with Kerala cricket seem to be at a crossroads. In his 43 years, he has no more playing, but his effort to provide to the sport by way of mentorship and commentary may become a big challenge because of this suspension.Often, sports psychology experts stress the difficulties former athletes have to face during the transition into retirement, and Sreesanth's case proves the point. His aggressive advocacy of younger players such as Samson may very well be a carryover from cricket administration experience, which he had. Still, now it has cut him further away from the game.

This incident also throws the relations between players (both active and former) and cricket administrators under the radar. Most cricketing bodies in India have been criticized for prioritizing their administrators over the players' interests. Although players are supposed to be polite in their public pronouncements, there are increasingly demands for greater transparency in governance and selection.

Conclusion

As the dust clears on this latest controversy in Indian cricket news, the suspension of Sreesanth under the three-year ban by the Kerala Cricket Association only ups the complexity of the man's already complex legacy. More famous for his temper rather than his cricketing skills, Sreesanth remains a dividing cricket aficionado.
 

While the KCA has taken a very firm stance against what they see as improper criticism, the incident has resulted in talks on player advocacy, administrative transparency, and the limitations of public discussion on a cricket field. As the future of Kerala cricket is shaped, the balancing act is to combine the disciplinary needs with the need to foster an environment that enables constructive criticism that can happen in the end and benefit Kerala cricket development.