Sree doesn’t want to mess up with ‘godsent opportunity’
New Delhi: Love him or hate him, you can't ignore mercurial fast bowler Shantakumaran Sreesanth. His onfield histrionics may have kept him initially out of the World Cup squad, though he is in it now as a replacement for injured Praveen Kumar. Sreesanth sees his selection a ‘godsent opportunity’ and doesn't want to ‘mess it up’.
"I know my antics are a hot topic, but I don't want to think about it now. I know I have to change my image and I am trying my best to do that. I play my game aggressively and everything I do on the field is spontaneous, not for any effect. I am what I am and I enjoy my game thoroughly. This is a godsent opportunity for me and I don't want to mess it up," Sreesanth said.
An apocryphal story doing the rounds is that an exasperated India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is believed to have asked Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf during the South Africa tour ‘why can't he think of imposing a one-match ban on Sreesanth so that everyone gets a respite from his high-voltage drama!’
The Kerala speedster was indeed brought to book, not for his histrionics but for dissent in the Cape Town Test and received a fine of 10 per cent of his match fee.
Hours before the selectors decided to bring in Sreesanth as Praveen's replacement, inspired stories went on air stating that the team management was opposed to his inclusion. But, the selectors chose to take his performance as the determining factor. Sreesanth has picked up 75 wickets from 51 ODI and his best of six for 55 came against England in Indore in 2006.
Sreesanth, who was a part of the 2007 World Twenty20 winning squad in South Africa, says he is only concerned about his contribution to the team, nothing else.
The young man from Kochi thanked god for the opportunity and said it has only reinforced his belief in his ability as a bowler.
Playing in his first 50-over World Cup, that too at home, the pressure will be huge and he remains unfazed.
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