Having got a late lifeline for his dream to play cricket again on Tuesday, 20th August, Sreesanth doesn’t really want to look at the age factor being a 36-year-old, as the paceman has made his ambitions clear, saying he is aiming to make a comeback in the Indian team.
On Tuesday, the BCCI Ombudsman D K Jain confirmed that Sreesanth will be eligible to play again from September 2020, reducing his life ban for IPL 2013 spot-fixing to 7 years and the fast bowler is keen on returning to the Kerala side to chase his far-fetched dream to once again don the national jersey.
Being a fan of Leander Paes, Sreesanth made it clear that he will not give up on his dream only because of his age without staking claim for the national call, insisting he has around 5 years of cricket left in him, citing the names of the likes of Misbah-ul-Haq and Ashish Nehra.
Sreesanth told ESPNCricinfo, “I am a huge fan of Leander Paes to start with. For his age and fitness, he is showing the way (even) right now. So, I should not give up. Even at 38, Ashish Nehra played the World T20 [2016]. I am only 36. So, I still have another year to make the comeback. I don’t think age is a factor. I have 87 Test wickets and my aim is I want to finish my career with 100 Test wickets. I am confident that I can return to the Indian Test team and always wanted to play under Virat Kohli.”
The Kerala lad continued, “My first priority is to return to club level cricket. This will let me know where I stand at the moment. Once I do this, my goal will be to make it to the state team in domestic cricket next year. Next I want to help the team win the Ranji Trophy and then play in the Irani Cup. If I continue to do well in domestic cricket for Kerala, then I can play for the country once again.”
However, the cricketer has also admitted that the journey to return to the field will not be easy as his body has not bowled in the last six to seven years.
He explained, “And, unfortunately, or fortunately, I haven’t played any cricket in the last six-seven years. So, my body has not bowled six-seven years of good cricket. Age, yes, but when it comes to cricket and bowling. I have hardly played cricket.”
Sreesanth signed off by saying, “I have got exactly one year. I am looking at it as an Under-19 kid. Right now, as we speak, I am on my way to the training and I am clocking 140-plus. I am a born fast bowler, and will always be a fast bowler. I will not give up cricket for the next five years.”
(With ESPNCricinfo/Navbharat Times Inputs)
