S Sreesanth claims innocence, says always played the game in right spirit

NEW DELHI: A crowd of almost hundred people waiting outside the Tihar jail was left disappointed on Tuesday when Rajasthan Royals pacer S Sreesanth, who was released on bail in the IPL spot-fixing case, was taken out from a side gate to his counsel Rebecca John's office in Defence Colony.


The accused player, sporting a beard and a tilak on his forehead, addressed a hurriedly organized press meet there and mumbled: "I thank God for sure."

Sreesanth, who looked relieved, took his time to compose himself and added: "I also thank my family, friends, lawyers and media for supporting me. I don't want to forget what happened. It taught me a lesson for sure," he said, his voice drowning in the ensuing commotion created by a horde of media persons and some friends. "Sree, Sree, Sreesanth", the screaming got so loud that he stopped, bemused for a while.

His friends from the crowd shouted: "Please let him complete his statement and then he can answer your questions." That didn't happen and Sreesanth started delivering his rehearsed lines again: "After six surgeries, I was looking to play good cricket. I have always played the game in the right spirit and always wore my heart on my sleeve."

He paused for a while and added: "I believe in judiciary and I will come out it." The moment he finished his statement, he was quickly escorted out to the basement of the building, to his lawyer's office.

When asked if anyone from Sreesanth's family had come to take him back home to Kerala, one his friends said: "He is with his friends here. He is going to take a morning flight back home."

Sreesanth has claimed innocence in the spot-fixing case and hopes to present his side of the story to the Indian cricket board's disciplinary committee soon. "He will present his side of the story when he is called by the BCCI. Right now, he wants to be with his family and enjoy home-cooked food. He is not allowed to speak much as the matter is sub-judice," his friend explained.