After the Supreme Court set aside former pacer Sreesanth’s life ban, the Committee of Administrators running Indian cricket has agreed to discuss the issue in their next general meeting. The decision was taken after the apex court asked the board to reconsider the punishment handed to the pacer for his alleged involvement in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal.
On Friday, a bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and K M Joseph said the BCCI's disciplinary committee may reconsider, within three months, the quantum of punishment to be given to Sreesanth. The bench made it clear that the 36-year-old Sreesanth must be heard by the committee on the quantum of the punishment.
On the other hand, the COA is scheduled to meet on March 18 to discuss the anti-doping policy of the Board with the International Cricket Council officials. The issue of Sreesanth's ban might come up among the COA on that day.
“Yes, I have heard about the Supreme Court order. We will need to get a copy of the order. We will definitely take up the issue at the COA meeting,” said COA chief Vinod Rai.
BCCI now has a new ombudsman in Justice (Retd ) DK Jain and amicus curiae PS Narasimha, it is expected that the decision will be fast-tracked. BCCI acting president CK Khanna made it clear that it will be completely COA's call as the onus is on it to implement the apex court's order.
“This is a Supreme Court order and obviously a call needs to be taken. I am confident that the issue will come up for serious deliberation at the next COA meeting. As far as Sreesanth being brought back to mainstream cricket, I have no comment to make,” Khanna said.