While many people still have reservations against S Sreesanth's comeback to competitive cricket, Kerala batsman Sachin Baby has welcomed the prospect of controversial fast bowler’s return to the state side.
See Also: When MS Dhoni's words "fired up" Sreesanth against Australia in 2007 T20 World Cup
Sreesanth's chances of playing competitive cricket received a boost on Thursday (June 18) as Kerala's newly-appointed Rani Trophy coach Tinu Yohannan said the Indian pacer will be considered for selection if he can prove his fitness.
Sreesanth was arrested by the Delhi Police in 2013 over charges of spot-fixing in that year's edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The BCCI had imposed a life ban on the right-arm speedster.
However, Sreesanth fought a long court battle over the same and was in 2015 acquitted of all charges by a special court in Delhi.
In 2018, the Kerala High Court had also revoked the BCCI's decision. Last year, even though the Supreme Court upheld his guilt, it asked the Indian cricket board to reduce his quantum of punishment. In response to which, the board reduced the life ban to seven years, which ends this September.
"I am really very happy because he is a brother to me. For the last seven years, I have been waiting for him to come back into the Kerala side and perform for the team," Baby told television commentator and presenter Arun Venugopal on Instagram show 'Homerun With AV'.
"Further, we all wanted him to play higher category (level of cricket). So, we even used to train together for the last couple of years and he was helping me a lot. We still work together, practise together, and travel together. We are bonding really well. Even during the last two years when he wasn’t playing and I was the captain, he used to tell me what should be done with the Kerala side and with the players, what our goal ought to be - to play really well at the highest standard. He used to always tell that we should play the Irani Trophy. Whatever he would tell me, I would pass the message along to my team-mates. So when people think I am expressing something, it’s actually a case of my sharing something that Sree tells me.
"He was very keen for the Kerala team and has had a big hand in whatever Kerala cricket has achieved. His prayers and commitment are always there with the Kerala team. Today (June 18) the Kerala probables have been announced and he is there in the probables, so I am really very happy."
Last year, a video clip of Sachin Baby getting dismissed by Sreesanth during a training session went viral on social media.
Revealing that Sreesanth gets him out more often than not, Baby said it will be important to help the 37-year-old fast bowler work on his fitness as he gears up for his return to competitive cricket.
"The video has gone viral. Whenever he bowls to me, I always get out because of his swing and pace," he said. "He is still unplayable and we are all waiting [for his return to competitive cricket]. After this Lockdown, if the ground is ready, we are planning to play a game. Match fitness is something very important. It’s rainy season now in Kerala. After July, we are planning to get [hold of] a ground and play a match."
