MUMBAI: For S Sreesanth, a firm believer, this has to be yet another reason to reinforce his faith in the almighty. Just when it seemed like a lost cause, after failing to find a slot in the 15-member Indian squad for the World Cup, the Kerala speedster has been included in the side albeit at the expense of an injured Praveen Kumar.
"The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that Praveen Kumar can be replaced in the squad by Sreesanth," BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement, a day after the Uttar Pradesh bowler was ruled out of the quadrennial event with an elbow injury.
A "heartbroken" Sreesanth had tweeted immediately after the team was announced in January. "I will keep giving my very best to the game no matter how small my chances are... I truly believe in God," he had tweeted then.
On Tuesday, the joy of being part of a World Cup squad ruled as he went about with his training at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore on Tuesday. "Better late than never. God has been great to me and I am really looking forward to playing in the World Cup. I was thrilled when I got the call this afternoon," he said. "Honestly, I was not hoping to play in this World cup. In fact, for the last few days I have been coming to NCA to get ready for the upcoming domestic matches. This news came in as a big surprise. I am fully fit and also bowling well. I hope to continue the same form in the World Cup," said Sreesanth.
The Kerala paceman is already a World Cup winner being part of the 2007 World T20 triumph and he is looking forward to achieve glory in the 50-over format this time around. "I know everyone talks about that catch (to dismiss the last Pakistan batsman in the edge-of-the-seat final). But here I hope to give my best with the ball and will certainly want that we go all the way to Mumbai and end the World Cup drought," he added.
The chances he got at the international level over the past few months point to the fact that Sreesanth has been more or less looked upon as a Test specialist. After featuring in eight ODIs in early 2010, Sreesanth had to wait till November for another chance in the 50-over format and has played just one more after that, making it just 10 ODIs in a span of 14 months.
Injuries, the constant companion of fast bowlers these days, might have played a part in Sreesanth's exclusion many times including in the last ODI series in South Africa but one factor that has always gone against him was the high economy rate.
A bowler, who is known for his wicket-taking capabilities, Sreesanth's economy rate of 6.01 from 51 ODIs is highest among all the specialist bowlers in the Indian squad. His 71 wickets at an average of 32.14 is quite impressive.
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