Rajasthan Royals star Sreesanth arrested by Delhi Police on May 16, 2013 for gambling
Photo: AFP
Sreesanth’s stellar performance in the 2005-06 Challenger Trophy opened the door for him to join the Indian national team. Sri made his ODI debut on October 25, 2005 against Sri Lanka. In the first match, Kumar Sangakkara and Sanath Jayasuriya chased down Sreesanth but managed to take two wickets.
Despite being known for his excellent action and speed, his abundance of runs was a setback for him in the beginning. He also played in India’s first Twenty20 World Cup in 2007 and the ODI World Cup in 2011.
But the 2013 IPL will not only change Sreesanth’s career but also his life. Sreesanth, a Rajasthan Royals star, was arrested by the Delhi Police on May 16, 2013 for gambling. Along with Sreesanth, Rajasthan Royals teammates Ajit Chandila and Angeet Chavan were arrested by the police. It was alleged that he had worked with a man named Jiju Janardhanan to gamble.
On May 17, the Delhi Police announced that Sreesanth had pleaded guilty. However, Sreesanth himself later revealed that he was forced to sign the confession. The Rajasthan Royals subsequently terminated the players’ contracts. Sreesanth, who was arrested on September 13, 2013 by the BCCI for betting, has been banned for life by players.
The following days were marked by legal battles. Sreesanth was acquitted by a court in July 2015 in a betting case. Sreesanth then proceeded with legal proceedings to lift the life ban. Meanwhile, on October 18, 2017, the Kerala High Court reinstated Sreesanth’s ban. The actor again went to court against this. Finally, in March 2019, the Supreme Court directed the BCCI to reconsider Sreesanth’s ban. Following this, the BCCI reduced the life ban imposed on Sreesanth to seven years. With this, the player’s ban expires on September 13, 2020. He later returned to cricket with the Kerala team.
In an interview with SportsKeeda a few days back, Sreesanth had reacted to the match-fixing controversy. It was reported at the time that the actor had agreed to pay Rs 10 lakh. “I was preparing to play in the Irani Trophy and find a place in the team for the tour of South Africa. Why should I compromise like that, even for ten lakh rupees? I’m a person who gets a bill of Rs 2 lakh till the party is over. I make all cash transactions through the card. I have helped everyone in my life and given hope to everyone. I have helped a lot of people. It was the prayers of her, her family and friends that helped her to get out of this. The issue was whether it was an over or 14 runs. I conceded five runs off four balls. No ball, no wide, not even a slow ball. Even after 12 surgeries on my toes, I threw at speeds above 130, ”Sreesanth said in an interview that day.
Content Highlights: sreesanth 2013 Indian Premier League spot-fixing and betting case
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