KOCHI: S Sreesanth was known as a fiery speedster with prodigious talent and a never give up attitude in international cricket. Though the ordeal he has gone through after getting arrested in the IPL spot-fixing scandal in 2013 and being handed a life-ban by the BCCI has tempered him down, he still believes in his ability to stage comebacks. It is this trait of his that saw him winning a favourable verdict from Kerala HC on Monday as it lifted the life ban imposed on him by the BCCI.

Though the BCCI has not made its stand clear with regard to the lifting of his ban, Sreesanth tells TOI that the court order has vindicated his stand and his hopes of making it back to the Indian team. Excerpts from an interview.

You have been saying right throughout that you have been wrongly implicated in the case. Do you think justice has finally prevailed?

Actually, today I'm feeling much better than how I felt when I got my maiden call-up to the Indian team. It is a new life for me. Even the biggest of criminals don’t go through what I or my family went through. A small incident was portrayed in the wrong way in front of the world. Maybe that’s how the world works, I don’t know. No complaints though. Even people who have been found guilty by courts (Mohammad Amir) have gone on to play global events like the World T20 and Champions Trophy because of the support from ICC and their association. I just hope that happens in my career too.

So what next for Sreesanth?

God has been extremely kind that I am getting another opportunity to work hard and get back into the Indian team. That will be my biggest challenge. The support from BCCI and KCA is very important. I am waiting for the green signal from the BCCI and KCA so that I can start practising again.

You also tried at your hand at politics and films in the last four years. Is your focus back to cricket now?

Absolutely. I concentrated on politics and movies because cricket was taken away from me. But the world knows Sreesanth as a cricketer and I too like to be remembered as a cricketer who gave everything on the field. So for me, the focus is very much back to cricket from today.

But you are 34 now. Are you still hopeful that you can be the bowler that you were on the cricket field?

Why not? I know I have to start from scratch. I am only 34. The likes of Misbah (ul-Haq), Younis Khan, Sachin paaji played or are playing till when they are close to 40. They are the motivation for me. I want to make sure that I keep myself fit and start performing.

But India now have plenty of talented fast bowlers in their mix. So the road back isn’t easy?

It will always be harder. My dream is to play 2019 World Cup for India. But I know it is next to impossible and it would be a miracle if I play in that World Cup. But I have always believed that miracles can happen. There might be stiff competition for fast bowlers' spot now. But there was competition even when I made my way into the Indian team. I have always felt that competition gets the best out of me. I just hope that I can do justice to my talent on my comeback. There was always a question of Sreesanth not being focused enough. All I can say is that I was always focused. I have learnt a lot from my past experience. I just pray and hope that I get an opportunity to show the world I am good enough and can clock 140kmph yet. It is a matter of me staying away from injury.

You approached the court seeking permission to play for Glenrothes Cricket Club in the Scottish league. So is Glenrothes going to be Sreesanth’s first stop-over?

Hopefully, yes. What I know is that they still have some games left in the Scottish league. Hopefully, I can play at least one match there. I have two goals left. One is to take 100 Test wickets. I am 13 short now. But a more realistic goal would be to win Ranji Trophy for Kerala. Now we have a lot of talented cricketers around. I can pass on my experience to them and it would be great playing in the whites for my state. Give me just six months, I will be back to my best and bowling as well as I ever did.

