From close bond to no handshake: What happened between Sanju Samson and Sreesanth

Sanju Samson and S Sreesanth go back a long way. In fact, Sreesanth played an important role in helping a young Sanju get an opportunity with Rajasthan Royals, something Sanju himself has acknowledged in the past.

So when a video from the Kerala Cricket League final showed the two not exchanging a handshake, it naturally got people talking.

The moment happened during the presentation ceremony after the KCL final at Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

Sanju was already on the stage when Sreesanth, co owner and mentor of Aries Kollam Sailors, came up to collect the Fair Play award won by his team.

Sreesanth could be seen greeting and shaking hands with others on the stage, but appeared to walk past Sanju without the two exchanging a handshake. Sanju, who was standing with his hands behind his back, also did not appear to acknowledge Sreesanth.

The video quickly went viral, with fans wondering whether something had happened between the two.

But there is something important to make clear here.

Neither Sanju nor Sreesanth has publicly explained what happened on the stage or confirmed that there is a rift between them.

Sreesanth recently questioned Sanju's Rajasthan Royals story

What has added to the discussion are Sreesanth's recent comments about how Sanju's Rajasthan Royals journey began.

Speaking to Lallantop (news media), Sreesanth said he introduced Sanju to then Rajasthan Royals coach Rahul Dravid and claimed he helped arrange flight tickets for Kerala cricketers to travel to Jaipur for trials.

Sreesanth also referred to a more recent account from Sanju in which, according to him, Sanju said he received a direct call from Dravid asking him to join the team.

Sreesanth disputed that version and said that was not how things happened.

However, Sanju has previously given Sreesanth plenty of credit for helping him early in his career.

In a previous interview, Sanju described Sreesanth as a generous person and recalled how the former India pacer helped him after he had been dropped from the Kerala team.

Sanju said Sreesanth spoke to then Kerala Cricket Association secretary TC Mathew and helped him return to the Kerala side. He also recalled Sreesanth later taking him to Rajasthan Royals trials in Jaipur.

When they met Dravid, Sanju said Sreesanth talked him up by telling the former India captain how many runs and sixes the youngster had hit against him in local cricket.

Sanju recalled being nervous and said Sreesanth hyping him up only added to the pressure.

Sreesanth's own recent version goes even further.

Speaking to Lallantop, Sreesanth recalled telling Dravid that Sanju had hit him for six sixes in six balls in a local tournament while trying to convince the Rajasthan Royals coach to give the youngster an opportunity.

All of that history is why a few seconds from the KCL final have attracted so much attention.

But for now, all we know for certain is what happened on that stage.

Sanju and Sreesanth did not exchange a handshake.

Why? Neither of them has said. Everything else is speculation at the moment.