S Sreesanth was put in his place on Friday (October 20) by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after the tainted cricketer threatened to leave India and represent another country following the restoration of his life ban by Kerala High Court earlier this week.
BCCI's acting president CK Khanna stressed that there is no room for a player banned by his country's cricket board to play for another country. Notably, Sreesanth, along with his former Rajasthan Royals (RR) teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, was slapped with a life ban over his alleged involvement in the spot-fixing scandal that rocked Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2013.
"Any player banned by his parent body cannot play for any other country, International Cricket Council (ICC) rules very clear. Rules, regulations and the legal position is quite clear," Khanna said, as quoted by "The Times of India".
Sreesanth was miffed at the BCCI and the Kerala High Court after a division bench of the latter restored the ban on him on Wednesday, October 18. The World Cup-winning fast bowler, while speaking on the sidelines of an event in Dubai on Thursday, October 19, had revealed he wanted to continue playing the sport he loves and that the BCCI was not helping his cause.
The 34-year-old invited criticism when he went on to say he would quit India and continue playing cricket elsewhere. Notably, Sreesanth had approached the BCCI to let him play club cricket in Scotland, but his request was turned down earlier this year, after which he sought the court's intervention over his ban.
"BCCI has imposed the ban, not ICC. If not India, I can play for any other country, because am 34 now and I can only play for maximum six more years. As a person who loves cricket, I want to play cricket," Sreesanth had said in Dubai.
A look at the ICC rules on playing for two countries
Can Sreesanth @sreesanth36 play for another country? Here r ICC @ICC rules on playing for 2 countries #cricket #SreesanthThreat #Sreesanth pic.twitter.com/CDJIIlq03L
— APRAMEYA .C (@APRAMEYAC) October 20, 2017
The former Indian cricketer also hit out at the BCCI with a series of Tweets right after the Kerala High Court came up with the verdict, which was in favour of the cricket board, on Wednesday.
This is the worst decision ever..special rule for me?what about real culprits?What about chennai super kings ? And what about Rajasthan ?
— Sreesanth (@sreesanth36) October 17, 2017
And what about the accused 13 names in Lodha report?? No one wants to know about it?i will keep fighting for my right..God is great ??✌??
— Sreesanth (@sreesanth36) October 17, 2017
