Exclusive: I Never Consider Anybody Except Indian Cricketers Legends: S Sreesanth

Veteran fast-bowler S Sreesanth has said that he does not consider any player outside of India as a legend of the game. The World Cup-winner made the bold statement while recalling the famous send-off he gave to Hashim Amla during the 2006 tour of South Africa.

The incident had taken place during the famous Johannesburg Test. S Sreesanth starred with the ball as India beat the Proteas by 123 runs to register their first-ever Test win on the South African soil. The right-arm pacer had returned with an eight-wicket match haul, including a first innings five-for, and was adjudged the Man of the Match.

He dismissed the likes of Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla during the historic game. But as much as the game is remembered for all the right reasons, it is also remembered for S Sreesanth’s antics. Who can forget his hilarious reply to Andre Nel’s sledging when he famously started dancing after hitting the former pacer for a six.

During the same game, he had also landed in trouble for giving a send-off to Amla. The 37-year old had dismissed the legendary batsman in both the innings and decided to give the South African an unceremonious send-off in the second innings. He was later fined 30 percent of his match fees for his antics.

14 years after that famous win in Johannesburg, S Sreesanth opened up on that sending-off incident and insisted that he does not consider any overseas player as a legend.

“I was like, What the…? Did he get out to me? All the papers, all the news were talking a lot about him. He’s got to much time, he’s like Rahul bhai and all, he’s like this, he’s like that,” S Sreesanth told CricketAddictor in an exclusive chat.

“I know it’s live but I have to say this. I never consider anybody except Indian cricketers legends. I used to love Lara for his game and I respect lot of other cricketers like Donald (Allan Donald), Shaun Pollock. I love them in a different way, in a respectful way. But if you are playing against me, that too against my country, I am extremely sorry I don’t care whether you are Hashim Amla or…It doesn’t matter,” he added.

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