S Sreesanth, hailing from Kerala, disclosed enduring racism throughout his cricket career, citing instances from his early days in age-group cricket to his international tenure.
Former Indian fast bowler S Sreesanth recently revealed his experience with racism throughout his cricketing journey, attributing it to his southern Indian origins. Despite his notable achievements, including participation in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup, Sreesanth admitted to enduring continuous racist remarks. Hailing from Kerala, he made his international debut in 2005 against Sri Lanka and went on to play 90 matches across various formats, securing 169 wickets.
Recounting his early cricketing days, Sreesanth lamented that derogatory comments based on his southern heritage were a constant.
“All my life I have been. I can say it. See anything below Bombay was more like Madrasi. I have been hearing it from the time I was playing Under-13 to Under-14 to Under-16 to Under-19. Then we had the Kochi (Tuskers Kerala) team and it was like playing for the country again,” said Sreesanth on The Ranveer Show.
The former pacer also revealed that he’s yet to receive his salary from the disbanded Kochi Tuskers Kerala franchise, where he played during the 2011 season. Despite several prominent players also awaiting payment, including Muttiah Muralitharan, Mahela Jayawardene, Brendon McCullum, and Ravindra Jadeja, the dues remain outstanding.
“They have to pay a lot of money. They still haven’t. You should get Muralitharan sir (Muttiah Muralitharan), you should get Mahela (Mahela Jayawardene) in your show, they will only tell you. McCullum was also there, and Jadeja,” he said.
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Sreesanth further urged the BCCI to intervene, emphasizing the need for the franchise to honor its financial obligations, even proposing an 18% annual interest rate on overdue payments. The franchise, which was supposed to operate for three years, folded after just one season, leaving players unpaid.
Last Updated on May 12, 2024
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