Former India pacer S Sreesanth has opened up on the 2013 spot-fixing scandal which had happened in the Indian Premier League. Due to that, he was banned along with two other players from Rajasthan Royals (RR) as well.
While sharing the story with Sportskeeda in an exclusive interview, he said: “This is the first interview in which I am sharing or explaining it. It was supposed to be one over and 14-plus runs. I bowled four balls for five runs. No no-ball, no wide and not a single slower ball in an IPL game. I was bowling at 130-plus after 12 surgeries on my toe.”
S Sreesanth has also expressed that he was trying to return to the Indian team after he was fully recovered from injuries as well.
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“I had played the Irani Trophy and was looking to play the South African series, so that we can win in September 2013. We were going early, and it moves better in September. My goal was to play that series. A person like that, why would I do it, that too for 10 lakhs?, I am not talking big but I used to have bills of around 2 lakh when I partied around,” he stated.
He also revealed that he used to do his payments by card and not by cash and shared that the prayers of his well-wishers has helped him to stay strong at that phase.
“I used to pay with my card not cash. If I had so much of cash, I would have been spraying it out. In fact, I used to take care of even a normal person. In my life, I have only helped and given belief. I have helped a lot of people, and those prayers helped me get out of this. All I would ask is – two balls, five runs, two balls to go. How would I give away all that I had invested? No way,” the Kerala cricketer again said.
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However, after his ban was lifted, Sreesanth came back to competitive cricket earlier this year in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy where he had featured in five matches for Kerala, claiming four wickets which came at a strike rate of 27 and an economy rate of 9.88 as well. He also revealed how he went into ‘depression mode’ during that tough phase of his life.
“Very bad to accuse anybody. If people call me and ask me in 2013-14, when I came out in 2015, 13 other names where there in the Supreme Court. All I can say is, me, my family and friends circle, my dear ones went through the toughest period.. closer to that was death. Maut ke Barabar that experience. If that happened with me and my friends, I can’t take the names of the 13 accused. Unless and until it’s proven, I shall not take a single name,” Sreesanth concluded.
