BAN WILL BE TAKEN UP AT MEETING, SAYS COA BOSS RAI

NEWDELHI: The life ban on S Sreesanth will be discussed when COA meets next after the Supreme Court asked the BCCI to reconsider the punishment handed to the pacer.

“I have heard about the Supreme Court order. We will need to get the copy of the order. We will definitely take up the issue at the COA meeting,” COA chief Vinod Rai said.

The COA is scheduled to meet on March 18 to discuss the antidoping policy of the Board with the International Cricket Council officials. The issue of Sreesanth’s ban might come up among the COA on that day. BCCI now has a new ombudsman in Justice (retd) DK Jain and amicus curiae PS Narsimha, it is expected that the decision will be fast-tracked.

BCCI acting president CK Khanna made it clear it will be completely Coa’s call.

“This is a Supreme Court order and obviously a call needs to be taken. I am confident that the issue will come up for serious deliberation at the next COA meeting. As far as Sreesanth being brought back to mainstream cricket, I have no comment to make,” Khanna said.

Former BCCI vice-president and Kerala CA senior official TC Matthew said: “I am very happy for Sreesanth. He has lost six years of his life. I don’t think even if the ban is lifted he can play firstclass cricket. But if the BCCI lifts his ban he can have an alternate career in cricket,” Matthew said.