KOCHI: The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has suspended former international cricketer S Sreesanth for three years, in a move that has triggered allegations of a coordinated crackdown against those who spoke out in support of Sanju Samson.
The KCA has also announced legal action against Sanju’s father, Samson Vishwanath, for remarks made against the association.
The controversy began late last year when Sanju was left out of the Kerala squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the national 50-over championship. The decision raised questions about whether it contributed to his later omission from the national squad for the Champions Trophy held this year. Former players, including Sreesanth, accused the KCA of unfair treatment and selective targeting of Sanju.
The KCA’s statement, issued after a special general body meeting in Kochi on April 30, claims that Sreesanth and others made “false and derogatory” remarks about the association. It also names Samson Vishwanath as among those who made “baseless comments”, and warns of legal proceedings.
Sreesanth, co-owner of Kerala Cricket League franchise Kollam Aeries and an IPL commentator, has now been banned from participating in any KCA-related activities for three years. This also disqualifies him from voting or contesting in the upcoming KCA elections, a notable consequence considering his voting rights as a former international cricketer.
‘No formal inquiry into selection controversy’
Show-cause notices were earlier served on Sreesanth, his franchise team Kollam Aeries, Alleppey Ripples, and player Sai Krishnan. The two franchises were later cleared after their responses were found satisfactory.
Critics argue that the KCA has focused on penalising those who questioned Sanju’s exclusion rather than investigating the concerns raised.
According to them, no formal inquiry into the selection controversy has been announced by the KCA.
A former KCA officer-bearer said the timing of the sanctions — months after the controversy but just ahead of the association’s elections — has added to suspicions of a retaliatory pattern, reinforcing concerns that Sanju and his supporters are being sidelined for challenging the association’s decisions.