Accused of corruption and spot-fixing in an internal inquiry held by BCCI's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit led by Ravi Sawani, during the sixth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2013, S Sreesanth gets partial relief from the Supreme Court, that slashed the life ban imposed on the Kerala-born cricketer while urging the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) to revisit the punishment for his alleged crimes.
However, the decision was reversed within two months as a division bench of the high court restored the life sentence following the Indian cricket board's appeal against Justice Mustaque's verdict.
Now, after years of relentless appeals made by the cricketer to the Indian judicial system to override the Board's “completely unfair” punishment, the Supreme Court may have given him a second chance to make good of his career as an Indian cricketer.
"In the context of facts and manner in which these things have happened, this court should consider that it (life ban on Sreesanth by BCCI) is unfair. He has suffered for the last five-six years. People want him to play cricket. He was extremely loyal to BCCI," Sreesanth's lawyer and senior advocate Salman Khurshid, appealed to the bench.
With Supreme Court providing the cricketer with a green chit to rejuvenate his cricketing career, the ball is in the BCCI's court.
Having won the World Cup with the Indian cricket team in 2011, Sreesanth has often expressed his desire to officially return to the field. At 35 years of age, he even promised to give the youngsters a run for their money if the Board lifted the ban.
