Veteran Kerala pacer S Sreesanth has made it to the final list of 590 players for the India Premier League (IPL) mega auction. The two-day auction will be held in Bengaluru during the weekend. The 39-year-old was overlooked for the auction last season. Sreesanth has played 44 IPL games for Kings XI Punjab, Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Rajasthan Royals from 2008 to 2013. The right-arm fast bowler, who was part of the 2007 T20 World Cup-winning squad and also a member of the Indian team which emerged triumphant in the 2011 ODI World Cup, was included in the Kerala squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy.
Despite all the positives it remains to be seen whether there are any takers for Sreesanth in the auction.
Sreesanth, who was handed seven-year suspension by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for his alleged involvement in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scam, made his return to the domestic circuit last season. He was part of the Kerala squads in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 Championship and the Vijay Hazare Trophy One-Day competition last season.
However, he opted out of the Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Hazare Trophy this season. The IPL teams will be worried about his fitness, especially considering the grueling nature of the competition.
Also Sreesanth has lost out on pace and with the IPL most likely to be held on the flat tracks in Maharashtra, teams are likely to prefer bowlers who have that extra yard of pace. Fielding is of utmost importance in the shorter format of the game and being short of match practice is likely to hamper Sreesanth's chances.
Another big question is whether the BCCI really wants Sreesanth in its marquee event. The teams, too, will not be keen on having a tainted player in their ranks.
Sreesanth, who has a base price of Rs 50 lakh, will be hoping that the addition of two new teams - Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans - will boost his chances.
