Five reasons why S. Sreesanth should not be allowed to make a comeback

An aggressive fast bowler by profession gets involved in multiple on-field controversies, is hard hit by a spot-fixing scandal in the middle of a flailing career, gets banned for life, then marries a princess, is exonerated by the courts and now dreams of playing the World Cup. We could be forgiven for thinking this is a blockbuster Bollywood script.

Indian cricket’s controversial superstar Sreesanth, who was exonerated by the courts in the spot-fixing case, might be on the verge of joining mainstream cricket once again. And as bad as the optics might look for the sport in India, the Kerala High Court’s judgement is the perfect opportunity for the country to form strong sports fraud laws.

Sreesanth is now 35 and even though he might dream of making a comeback to the Indian team, the reality is he played his last ODI and Test in 2011, two years before being caught in the spot-fixing scandal.

With the court case now over and the BCCI looking for various other legal options to handle the situation, here are five reasons why we think Sreesanth should not be allowed to make a comeback at any cost.

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#1 India need to enforce a zero-tolerance policy in matters regarding match-fixing and spot-fixing

Sreesanth’s spot-fixing case is much bigger than just punishing one individual; it’s about setting an example for the youngsters taking up the sport. There needs to be a zero-tolerance policy in matters regarding spot-fixing and match-fixing and these policies need to be enforced with strong action in case anyone is found guilty.

The onus for implementing a zero-tolerance policy falls on the BCCI, which is an independent governing body. And the Indian board would have failed if it lets the Sreesanth case become a case study for any future offences where the offender sub-consciously knows he can get away with it because of precedent.

#2 The BCCI disciplinary committee found him guilty

Neeraj Kumar, a former police chief, led the BCCI's investigation

There’s no Indian law regarding sporting fraud and that is one of the main reasons why investigators might charge match-fixers with criminal conspiracy, cheating by impersonation under IPC and MCOCA, but the same can never be proved in a court of law. There’s never enough evidence to prove these serious charges in any sport and that is one of the reasons why India needs a strong sporting fraud bill.

However, BCCI’s own investigation into the case, led by Neeraj Kumar (the former Delhi police chief) found Sreesanth and two others guilty. Under Indian law, match fixing is not a criminal offence but under the BCCI’s code, match-fixing is a punishable offence that can lead to a lifetime ban.

Considering the BCCI’s investigation was led by a respected former police chief, it is safe to concur with the disciplinary committee's findings. Even though the courts could not hand out sentences because of inadequate evidence to register criminal offences, there sure was a shady deal that led to Sreesanth’s ban.

#3 And lest we forget, the guy actually confessed to spot-fixing

Sreesanth all but confessed to spot-fixing

You can forget about the procedures of the law and you can cover-up multiple investigations that found Sreesanth guilty but how do you explain his own confession? Even though the confession was not admissible in court after Sreesanth’s claim that it was forced out of him, it does not paint the picture of an honest man.

Even in the latest ruling of the Kerala High Court, that ordered the BCCI to remove the ban on Sreesanth, this one particular bit of the order casts doubt over the muddled police investigations, “...If the evidence as a whole is appreciated, it can easily be concluded that Sreesanth had no direct link in sport fixing or betting."

The key phrase here being ‘no direct link in spot fixing or betting’.

#4 A breach of trust in any sport is unacceptable

Fans protesting against the actions of Sreesanth

Even as a hardcore Sreesanth fan, you’ll never be sure if he was indeed not guilty. And there can be no fallacy worse than not knowing whether the heroes we worship are clean or not. A breach of trust in any sport is unacceptable and immoral dealings, even through bad associations, should never be accommodated.

The court in its judgment believes that he has already been punished enough but that must give a headache to the Committee of Administrators who are attempting to clean up the sport.

#5 He doesn’t fit into the Indian team’s dynamics

Shami and Umesh Yadav are close to cementing their places in the Indian ODI squad

Virat Kohli is a captain with high ethical and moral standards. Moreover, it is difficult to imagine Sreesanth being a part of the Indian squad for the 2019 World Cup when he is 37.

India’s current crop of pace bowlers have been honing their skills with the World Cup in sight and waiting for their chance to represent the country. Shami, Bhuvneshwar and Umesh Yadav form the core group of bowlers who’ll be on that flight, unless all of them are injured which seems unlikely.

Even if that’s the case, someone who last played an ODI back in 2011 would be the last player to breach the ranks.

Inducting Sreesanth back into cricketing mainstream is not only unnecessary but also disrespectful to the memory of all those cricketers who have played the game before him with honesty and dignity.