If Paes can win Grand Slams at 42, I can play at 36: Sreesanth

NEW DELHI: “If Leander Paes can win Grand Slams at 42, I can at least play some cricket at 36,” India cricketer S Sreesanth said after the Supreme Court set aside the life ban imposed on him by the BCCI for his alleged involvement in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal.

“I don’t know what life has in store for me after all these years. It’s six years and I haven’t played cricket, which was my life,” said Sreesanth.

“I hope that the BCCI respects the verdict of the country’s highest court and allows me to at least get back to the cricket field. I hope that at least now I can walk to a school cricket ground and train there without being told that I am not allowed.

“I just want to play whatever cricket I can,” said Sreesanth, who has been a part of the 2007 World T20 and 2011 ODI World Cup winning squads.

But age is not something that will be a factor in trying to make a comeback to competitive cricket.

“Your age is as much as you feel. I would again like to play club cricket in Scotland. I wanted to play last year but didn’t get permission. I can’t play club cricket in England as I have not played first-class cricket for six years now,” said Sreesanth, who has represented the country in 27 Tests, 53 ODIS and 10 T20IS.

Sreesanth said in his “dark days”, it was the unshakeable faith of his parents, wife Bhuvaneshwari, in-laws and his fans that kept him going.

Sreesanth is still in touch with some of his Indian teammates.

“Yes, I do get calls or whatsapp messages from some of them. Bhajju paa (Harbhajan Singh) has spoken to me, Viru bhai (Virender Sehwag), Suresh (Raina) have kept in touch. I keep speaking to Robin (Uthappa) who is a dear friend,” he said.

His children, a son and a daughter, are yet to understand what the father has gone through.

“All these years, I would often sit and think that what should I be telling my kids and what would be their idea about me as a father. Now when they grow up, I can at least tell them that their father’s biggest strength was not ever giving up on a fight even in toughest of times,” said Sreesanth.

For the past few years, the song that would infuse life is ‘Rise Up’ by Swedish DJ Yves ‘Larock’ Cheminade.

“Rise up!

Don’t fall down again

Rise up

Long time I broke the chains I try to fly a while so high Direction - sky”.