'Not Received Notice or Order' - Sreesanth Aware of Kerala Cricket Association Suspension Only Through Media

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Former Indian cricketer S Sreesanth revealed he hasn't received any notice or order from the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) about his suspension and is not aware of the reason behind the action from the state cricket board.

The KCA on Friday (May 2) had suspended Sreesanth for three years, citing false and defamatory remarks made against the association amid the controversy surrounding Sanju Samson's omission from India's squad for the ICC Champions Trophy held earlier this year, as per a release from KCA.

The decision was made during a special general body meeting of the KCA held in Ernakulam on Friday, May 2. However, the former India pacer said he was only made aware about the suspension via the media.

"I have not received any notice or order from the KCA; we have only heard it from the media. I don't know yet on what grounds or reasons the action is being taken. I was only backing a state cricketer.. Once we see the notice, we will explore our options," Sreesanth told ANI.

Sreesanth, who currently serves as the co-owner of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) franchise Kollam Aries, had made critical public comments linking the KCA to Samson's exclusion from the Indian Champions Trophy squad.

The comments proved costly for Sreesanth as show-cause notices were issued to him as well as to three franchise teams, Kollam Aries, Alleppey Team Lead Contender Sai Krishnan, and Alleppey Ripples.

The general body reviewed the responses from the franchises and deemed them satisfactory. As a result, no further action will be taken against them. However, the KCA advised all franchise teams to exercise greater caution when appointing individuals to team management roles.

The association also announced it's intention to pursue legal action against Samson's father, Samson Vishwanath, former cricketer Reji Lukose, and a news anchor from the 24x7 news channel, citing defamatory remarks made in public forums against the association.

Sreesanth is no stranger to bans and suspension as his international cricket career was marked by moments of brilliance, controversy, and resilience across all formats, while he was banned for life, along with then Rajasthan Royals teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, over alleged IPL spot-fixing in 2013.

His ban was later reduced to seven years and ended in September 2020. After his ban was reduced, he returned to domestic cricket in 2021, representing Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He also entered the IPL auctions in 2021 and 2022 but went unsold.