My dream is to play 2019 Cricket World Cup for India, says S Sreesanth

But can the Kerela-based cricketer think of a comeback at 34, competing with most of the youngsters in the field? And the paceman gave an interesting reply – "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."

PTI

New Delhi: The day of Rakshabandhan came as a huge relief for Indian paceman S Sreesanth, a day he surely he must have celebrated, not to honour a brother-sister relation, but to the news that Kerela High Court ordered BCCI to lift the ban imposed on him in connection with the IPL spot-fixing charges of 2013. Delighted to the news, Sreesanth has already set his eyes on the 2019 World Cup.

"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," said Sreesanth in an interview to Times of India.

Team India already has quite a lot of seamers, with Virat Kohli and the selectors already facing a tough choice to pick amongst them. Apart from that, IPL has over the last few years brought out more, ergo Sreesanth's chance of making it to the squad seems almost bleak. "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," he reckons.

But can the Kerela-based cricketer think of a comeback at 34, competing with most of the youngsters in the field? And the paceman gave an interesting reply – "I am only 34. The likes of Misbah (ul-Haq), Younis Khan, Sachin (Tendulkar) 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."

So as of now what is Sreesanth's first stop? "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," replied the paceman.

"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," he added.

But for Sreesanth, he feels that he needs BCCI's support in making a comeback. "I am waiting for the green signal from the BCCI and KCA so that I can start practising again."

"Give me just six months, I will be back to my best and bowling as well as I ever did," concluded a confident Sreesanth.