S Sreesanth will always remain one of the most controversial figures in Indian cricket. He came into the team as an express pace bowler whose aggression was as dangerous as his speed. The batters feared him not only for his wicket-taking ability but also for his aggression on the field.
He was one of the few players to be a part of the T20I and ODI winning World Cup teams for India. He played a key role in both the championship wins and was expected to become one of the stars for India going ahead. However, a fixing scandal during the IPL saw the player receiving a ban from playing competitive cricket.
After playing a few domestic games the speedster recently announced his retirement from all cricket. However, the controversial figure has once again passed a comment which would lead to a debate. Sreesanth revealed in an interview with Manorama that he deserved a farewell match to end his domestic career.
“I was looking forward to playing the match against Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy. In the team meeting ahead of the game, I had made it clear that it would be my last match for Kerala. I believe I deserved a farewell match,” he expressed.
He claimed that he was denied a farewell game by the Kerala association which led to a huge stir on social media. A player who had contributed as much as Sreesanth definitely deserved a good end to his career.
Sreesanth had earlier expressed his desire to play in the IPL and had given his name for the IPL as well, however, he went unsold in the auction. He said that he was very well capable of playing but did not want to take up a youngster's spot. ”I can still bowl at 132 Kmph consistently. I can bowl as quickly as any 19-year-old bowler. However, I do not want to eat up the place of a deserving youngster,” he told.
Sreesanth also revealed that he was open to playing franchise based leagues and did not wish to completely disassociate himself from the game. For the time being though he will look to focus on his acting career.
“I am open to playing franchise-based leagues across the world. I have received some coaching offers too. Also, I want to focus on my film career,” he concluded.