Kochi: He contemplated suicide during his time at Tihar Jail but pacer Shanthakumaran Sreesanth is now hoping to sing the redemption song by asking the BCCI to lift his life ban from cricket.
Sreesanth was last week exonerated in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal by a Delhi Court.
“I have sought an appointment with BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur,” Sreesanth said.
“He has told a TV channel that I can file an application requesting to lift the ban.
“I am hopeful after indication from the higher-ups of the BCCI that it would consider my request. So I want to file an application. I am waiting for his (General Secretary Anurag Thakur) call. I hope the next meeting of the BCCI would take a favourable decision.”
The cricketer, who has played Tests and ODIs for India, spoke about the trauma he went through when he was arrested and thrown in jail, accused of having dealings with a cricket betting racket allegedly run by underworld don Dawood Ebrahim and his aide Chhota Shakeel.
“Initially I thought about suicide. I could overcome because of my devotion to Lord Ettumanoorappan (Lord Shiva in Kerala’s famouse Ettumanoor Mahadevar temple) and the support given by my family,” Sreesanth said.
Asked if he expects a favourable response from BCCI, in which former Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar is chief advisor to the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), Sreesanth said: “After all he is also a human being. He has also got a heart.”
Sreesanth said that if Kumar, who ordered his arrest, along with Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, recalled the circumstances which led to his arrest, he would get a clearer picture.
“I don’t think he would put any hindrance on my path. After all, BCCI is a body, not an individual,” he said.
“I will wait. I don’t want to challenge any one. I want to play cricket.”
The cricketer rejected reports that he had a net session at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium on Monday evening.
He said he would start practising in the ground only if his life ban is lifted.
The stadium at Kaloor, owned by the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), has been partially leased by the Kerala Cricket Association, a member of the BCCI, for 30 years for hosting Test matches.
