Why would I jeopardise my career, my life for 10 lakh: Sreesanth

Out of favor Indian pace bowler S Sreesanth seems to be finding no way out of the web that he has fallen into. The Kerala High Court had recently revoked the ban imposed on him. Just when he had started to aspire to play international cricket again, the news about the BCCI questioning the revoke surfaced the media. Recently, as per the quotes in Hindustan Times, the pacer once again pleaded that he was innocent and had nothing to do in the spot fixing scandal of 2013.

Recalling the infamous spot fixing gate, Sreesanth remarked that carrying towels and arm band had nothing to do with fixing. He cited that he always admired Allan Donald and hence wore those bands. He never pleaded guilty in front of the court. During the investigation, the bookie Janardhan had taken Sreesanth’s name claiming that he had kept the towel as a mark of his spot fixing moves on the field.

“They said Jiju (Janardhan) apparently said I would either keep an arm band or towel or vermilion or something like that. I used to do all that because I love Allan Donald. I have done that before too. I would even wear plenty of zinc oxide on my face, like Donald. Does that mean those matches were fixed too? Is it a crime to be superstitious? I believed that wearing those things would help me when I was going through a bad phase in my bowling,” clarified the tainted pacer.

Conversation with the umpire

He further cited that he had asked the on field umpire if he could keep the towel with him, to which the umpire had not objected. He reiterated the fact that all his mannerisms were purely due to his willingness to copy his idol Allan Donald. He questioned why would he anyway put his career at stake for a sum of INR 10 lakh.

“In fact, in the first over I asked Kumar Dharmasena (the umpire) if it was okay if I kept a towel. Surely, the stump microphones picked that up. I did that only because it made me feel like Donald. Why would someone fix for Rs10 lakh? If you’re accusing me, say Rs10 crore or something. Why would I jeopardise my career, my life for Rs10 lakh?” he asked.