Former Indian pacer Shantakumar Sreesanth has revealed all details regarding the infamous 2013 spot-fixing scandal that rocked the Indian Premier League in 2013. Sreesanth, who has maintained his innocence all these years, claimed that he was offered R 10 Lakhs to concede 14 runs in an over, but decided against doing so as he eyed a comeback to the Indian team. The Kerala pacer was banned for life before it was reduced to seven years.
In an explosive interview with Sportskeeda, Sreesanth revealed all the details surrounding the spot-fixing scandal of 2013. The former Rajasthan Royals pacer said, “This is the first interview in which I am sharing or explaining it. It was supposed to be one over and 14-plus runs. I bowled four balls for five runs. No no-ball, no wide and not a single slower ball in an IPL game. I was bowling at 130-plus after 12 surgeries on my toe.”
The Kerala born pacer revealed that he was planning to make a comeback to the Indian team, and had just played the Irani Trophy before the IPL. He furthermore stressed that the amount of Rs 10 lakhs was not something that would have forced his hand, as he had bigger bills during his glory days. Sreesanth added, “I had played the Irani Trophy and was looking to play the South African series, so that we can win in September 2013. We were going early, and it moves better in September. My goal was to play that series. A person like that, why would I do it, that too for 10 lakhs? I am not talking big but I used to have bills of around 2 lakh when I partied around.”
Further making his case, Sreesanth said that he used to always pay with his card and never carried cash and if he did, he would have been splashing it around. The ex- Rajasthan Royals pacer added that it was not worth giving up his career for. He said, “I used to pay with my card not cash. If I had so much of cash, I would have been spraying it out. In fact, I used to take care of even a normal person. In my life, I have only helped and given belief. I have helped a lot of people, and those prayers helped me get out of this. All I would ask is – two balls, five runs, two balls to go. How would I give away all that I had invested? No way.”
@sreesanth36 finally reveals what really happened on IPL Spot-fixing incident | IPL Spot Fixing #IPL2021 #SpotFixing pic.twitter.com/8LRWmBBfCt
— Sportskeeda India (@Sportskeeda) September 28, 2021
Sreesanth was banned for life along with fellow Rajasthan Royals teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan for their involvement in the IPL spot-fixing scandal. A huge media trial ensued and the Kerala pacer and his family and friends went through some dark days as accusations continued to be levied on Sreesanth. He revealed that his life had veered into a “depression mode” and while he knows the others involved he wouldn’t name them unless they were proven guilty. In the aftermath of the IPL spot-fixing in 2013, Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings were banned for two years from the IPL.
Sreesanth said, “Very bad to accuse anybody. If people call me and ask me in 2013-14, when I came out in 2015, 13 other names where there in the Supreme Court. All I can say is, me, my family and friends circle, my dear ones went through the toughest period.. closer to that was death. Maut ke Barabar that experience. If that happened with me and my friends, I can’t take the names of the 13 accused. Unless and until it’s proven, I shall not take a single name.”
