Lifetime Ban too Severe - Sreesanth Tells Supreme Court

Former Indian National Cricket team player Sreesanth on February 27 (Wednesday) admitted to Supreme Court that a lifetime ban from cricket is too harsh as a punishment for a cricketer.

Meanwhile, On May 16 2013, the Delhi police arrested Sreesanth and two of his Rajasthan Royals teammates, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan from Mumbai, on charges of spot-fixing during IPL 6. On the very next day, Sreesanth confessed to spot-fixing, according to police. However, Sreesanth has always maintained that he is innocent and that police forced him to sign confession statements. On September 13, 2013, Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan were banned for life by BCCI’s disciplinary committee. Moreover, in July 2015, he was acquitted in the spot-fixing case and on October 18 2017, Kerela High restored the life ban on Sreesanth.

However, yesterday, Salman Khurshid, advocate for Sreesanth drew reference from previous cases to show that many boards have overturned the lifetime ban of their cricketers.

“Life ban given to Mohd Azharuddin (former India captain) was overturned. Pakistan’s Salim Malik got a life ban but it was overturned. Hansie Cronje was given life ban but he died in a plane crash when proceedings were not closed,” senior advocate Salman Khurshid, for Sreesanth, told a Bench of Justices Ashoka Bhushan and K.M. Joseph.

Khurshid argued that despite the ban and losing the prime time of his career, Sreesanth has remained loyal to the BCCI and wants to reconnect with the Board.

“What about effort to fix?” Justice Bhushan asked.

“If at all he is guilty of anything, it is for failure to disclose about fixing, etc, despite having knowledge. That will make him guilty only of the least punishable offence. There is nothing on record to warrant a lifetime ban,” Mr. Khurshid replied.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would begin his response in the case on February 28 (Thursday).