Put him out of his misery - Ban Sreesanth for a game or two

Sreesanth has stepped across the line far too often in the recent past to get away with it now.

In December last year during India's tour of South Africa, he copped a fine for giving a send-off to Hashim Amla. Then, during India's tour of England recently, he bowled a beamer to Pietersen and barged into Michael Vaughan. During the Twenty20 World Cup, he was hauled up for excessive appealing.

That is a lot of antics in a little less than a year. Is he India's Andre Nel?

I have no problems with people being aggressive on the field, provided they don't get personal/abusive. Speaking of which, I feel revolted whenever I lip-read India's cricketers mouthing '*-chod' abuses either at the opposition or just screaming out in exhilaration. If we have reason to feel aggrieved when others hurl '*-f@cker' abuses, then it is time to introspect, for India's cricketers are no better worse in this regard.

Coming back to Sreesanth, he definitely has the ability. Can he channelize his aggression properly and not continue to make an ass of himself? What's the point in showing your aggression when you've conceded 7 runs an over in a one-day game? What's the point in giving any batsman a send-off? He's out and he can't do you any more damage! Yes, one possibility is that you genuinely believe that he's had far too many lives during his knock. But even then, there's no point in abusing him after he has exhausted his luck!

The time is now right for the ICC match referee to step in and ban Sreesanth for a game or two. Besides, like I was telling Ganesh a week or so ago, Sreesanth should only be allowed to play in alternate games. He rarely, if ever, strings together two consecutively good bowling performances anyway.

Labels: ban, icc, india, match referee, sreesanth