Is Sree back yet?

vIndianz.com (7 Dec, 2009) — In recent years, there has not been an Indian cricketer who has been in such controversy as S Sreesanth. Of course, Harbhajan Singh’s episodes with the Australians are an exception. But, Sreesanth is different because he has not only rubbed his opponents the wrong way, he has also caused his teammates enough worries.

Sample this. During the World T20 in South Africa in 2007, Indian captain M S Dhoni said, “Sreesanth must play the way I want him to play.” It was just an indication of the frustration he felt at having to deal with Sreesanth’s aggression on the field. During IPL 2008, Umpire Amish Saheba is reported to have said, “Sreesanth wasn’t a favourite in the India dressing room. He is one of India’s main bowlers, and yet, he is not doing anything to get rid of that schoolboy image of his. His colleagues are not too happy with that.” And, how can we forget the slapping incident between Sreesanth and Harbhajan during the same tournament?

Many of us would count his over-the-top aggression as his Achilles heel. There is no doubt that he is a good bowler, able to swing the ball with a talent that has awed many. He has shown what he can do with the ball, an example being the Test series in Johannesburg three years ago. However, his talent was soon overshadowed by his antics on the field. The selectors weren’t amused either.

Aggression is a good attribute in cricket. It is a game that has been dominated by aggressive teams. The present Australian team is an example. However, it is quite an art to control emotions and not let your temper run wild while playing. The media may give you more coverage than you deserve for your actions on the field but it rarely helps to keep your spot in the team cemented.

Sreesanth is back in the team after a long 19 months. It is usually hard to make a mark with the comeback match itself. There are too many pairs of eyes on you and too many points to prove. However, the Kerala speedster pulled it off well in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Kanpur. The 19-month exclusion seems to have done him a world of good.

Sunil Gavaskar wrote in his column, “What was most refreshing about Sreesanth’s success was that at no stage did he go over the top to celebrate taking every wicket and he simply folded his hands in prayer to thank the almighty for giving him another scalp. The smile after taking a wicket suits him much better than a snarl and he will win more fans with that attitude. It in no way takes away from the exuberant character that he is and hopefully, he will not get misled by those who will say to him that his earlier ways were right.”

There are many who have taken Sreesanth’s performance with a pinch of salt. A writer ended his article in a newspaper with this sentence, “He (Sreesanth) has been warned by BCCI with a suspension if he violates the code of conduct one more time. But let’s enjoy his bowling while it lasts.”

Even as there is something to be wary about, there is also a glimmer of hope. It is evident that Sreesanth understood he had jeopardised his position in the team with his unwarranted actions. After receiving the Man-of-the-Match award for the second Test match, he said, “To be honest, I never thought I will play for the country again.” It shows how much the warnings had affected him and how much he has been working to maintain his control over himself.

His mental demons are bigger than his physical ones. Now that he has overcome what was already there, more are waiting for him. For instance, there will be many who will provoke him, hurt him where it hurts most. Of course, the most likely team to do so would be the Australians, a team which has also faced some of Sreesanth’s untimely outbursts.

Then there is the media. Many former players and commentators have opined that the Kerala player was ‘showing off’ to the media and the world. Anyone who saw his jig when he hit Andre Nel for a six around two years ago would agree that the reaction was not meant just for Nel but for the world to see. This time around, while the media have given him the applause, he has the responsibility of keeping up the good work. Else, it won’t be much time before he is written off again.

Then of course, there are the demands of the game. Injuries abound on and off the field. Though there are not many ways to steer clear of it, there are many ways to stay fit. Exercise and fitness have to be incorporated into their daily routines by any player. Sreesanth says Allan Donald, his Warwickshire coach, has helped him with just that.

In an interview to the Telegraph, Sreesanth said, “Donald told me how I should be more responsible on and off the field. He taught me the importance of work ethics and good habits. He would tell me that even if I don’t like it, I should go off to sleep early. Even if it’s biting cold, I need to get into the swimming pool.”

This discipline probably showed in the Irani Cup and the Ranji Trophy matches too, catching the eye of the selectors.

When asked why the committee had chosen Sreesanth for the series, chairman of the selection committee, Kris Srikkanth, said, “The fact was that he bowled well in the Irani Cup and the Challengers. It’s good to have a guy who bowls late outswingers…When Sreesanth gets his line, length and rhythm going, he is a genuine wicket-taker. The question is, how often can he do that?”

This has been asked many times in the past. And not just of Sreesanth, but many bowlers, mainly pacers. There has been Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, L Balaji, Munaf Patel, Ashish Nehra and most recently, Ishant Sharma.

The pace attack of the Indian team has been under a scanner for the past few years. It has been plagued with inconsistencies and injuries. Examine the list and you will find that these two problems have affected all of them. If they get at least their consistency right, the injuries would not be a huge concern.

Like Ishant Sharma has speed, Sreesanth has swing. He is dangerous if he finds his line and length early on.

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