New Delhi, May 2 Former India cricketer Shanthakumaran Sreesanth declined to comment on his three-year suspension by the Kerala Cricket Association, stating that he is not aware of the matter. Sreesanth was suspended by the KCA for his alleged false and derogatory statements against the organisation regarding Sanju Samson's omission from the national team for the Champions Trophy 2025.
Sreesanth had alleged that Samson was sidelined by the KCA to play for the Kerala side last year and hence missed selection to the national team for the Champions Trophy.
The decision was taken in KCA's annual general body meeting on April 30 in Kochi and was shared by the state cricket body via an official statement on Friday.
When contacted by IANS for his comments, Sreesanth remained tight-lipped to comment on the matter. "I'm not aware of it," Sreesanth said in response to IANS when asked about his suspension by the Kerala Cricket Association.
Meanwhile, Sreesanth is now waiting for the official communication from the KCA, and according to sources, he will be taking legal recourse against the three-year suspension.
This is not the first time that Sreesanth has courted trouble. The previous instance was in 2023 when the Legends League Cricket (LLC) Commissioner served him a legal notice following his rant over an on-field altercation with the current Indian men's team head coach Gautam Gambhir.
His previous troubles came at his last IPL match for the Rajasthan Royals against Punjab on May 9, 2013, the season in which he was accused of being involved in spot-fixing, which led to his arrest. Though Sreesanth always maintained his innocence throughout the controversy, he was handed a life ban along with Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila.
The fast bowler then challenged the decision in the Supreme Court, which set aside the life ban and asked the BCCI to consider a fresh punishment. The sentence was reduced to a seven-year suspension, which ended in September 2020.
Thereafter, Sreesanth played for Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2021. He played his last first-class game for Kerala against Meghalaya in the 2021-22 edition of the Ranji Trophy.
In March 2023, Sreesanth announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
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