"He set the standards of not giving up at 36, cricket is always there in him" - Sachin Baby hails “big brother” Sreesanth

Kerala batter Sachin Baby has hailed S Sreesanth for his never-say-die attitude, which saw him make a return to competitive cricket even though he was past his mid-30s. Terming the former Indian pacer as a "big brother", Baby stated that Sreesanth's comeback story is an inspiration for those who do not believe in giving up.

Following the end of his ban from the game over spot-fixing allegations, Sreesanth returned to cricket by turning out for Kerala during the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament last year. The comeback did not last long as the speedster announced his retirement from all forms of the game earlier this year.

According to Baby, who is represented by FairPlay Sports, Sreesanth's comeback against all odds is a story in itself. In an interview with Sportskeeda’s Prasen Moudgal, he opened up about the Kerala legend and said:

“He is a big brother for all of us in the Kerala team. He set the standards of not giving up at the age of 36. Anyone who is playing knows that if we are 36, then also we can play. He showed that.”

The 33-year-old added that even when Sreesanth was not part of the team, he always talked about Kerala cricket. He admitted to sharing a special bond with the maverick personality and said:

“He has really helped me to achieve all the things that I have achieved so far. Whenever I didn’t score, he used to call me and support me. For the last seven years also, we used to practice together. We used to train together, off-field or in the gym.”

While expressing happiness that Sreesanth was able to make a comeback to the sport he loved, Baby also wished the former cricketer the best in his future endeavors. He stated:

“I am very happy that he came back and set some goals for the team. He did really well if you see. He was the highest wicket-taker in our team. Cricket is always there in him. Now that he is retired, I wish him all the best in his next innings. I think he will be part of the Road Safety Series in June or July. He is preparing well for that. He is a man who never gives up. I think he will bowl around 140-plus because he is really fit.”

The 39-year-old’s last match for Kerala was the Ranji Trophy encounter against Meghalaya in February this year. Sreesanth picked up two wickets as Kerala emerged victorious by an innings and 166 runs.

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"Get that domestic cup for the Kerala team" - Sachin Baby on his short-term goal

The batter, named after the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, admitted that his short-term goal is to try and help Kerala lift the Ranji Trophy. The left-hander said:

“My short-term goal will be to get that domestic cup for the Kerala team. For that, I need to perform endlessly. We have been doing really well. If you see Kerala cricket’s performance in the last two years, we used to be consistently playing for the semi-finals. This year, my biggest goal is to get that cup home to Kerala.”

Adding that he has hopes of wearing Indian colors, Baby asserted:

“The long-term goal is to wear that Indian blue cap. I believe if I have a very good domestic season, I would be there.”

The 33-year-old scored 285 runs in three matches for Kerala at an average of 71.25 in the league stage of the Ranji Trophy 2022.