S. Sreesanth facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
S. Sreesanth

Personal information
Full name	Shanthakumaran Nair Sreesanth
Born	(1983-02-06) 6 February 1983 (age 42) Kothamangalam, Kerala, India
Nickname	Sree, Gopu
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm fast-medium
Role	Bowler
Relations	Madhu Balakrishnan (brother-in-law)
International information
National side	India (2005–2011)
Test debut (cap 253)	1 March 2006 v England
Last Test	18 August 2011 v England
ODI debut (cap 162)	25 October 2005 v Sri Lanka
Last ODI	2 April 2011 v Sri Lanka
ODI shirt no.	36
T20I debut (cap 10)	1 December 2006 v South Africa
Last T20I	1 February 2008 v Australia
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2002/03-2021/22	Kerala
2008–2010	Kings XI Punjab
2009	Warwickshire
2011	Kochi Tuskers Kerala
2013	Rajasthan Royals
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I Matches 27 53 10 Runs scored 284 44 20 Batting average 10.40 4.00 20.00 100s/50s 0/0 0/0 0/0 Top score 35 10* 19* Balls bowled 5,419 2,476 204 Wickets 87 75 7 Bowling average 37.59 33.44 41.14 5 wickets in innings 3 1 0 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 Best bowling 5/40 6/55 2/12 Catches/stumpings 5/– 7/– 2/–
Medal record Men's Cricket Representing  India ICC Cricket World Cup Winner 2011 India-Bangladesh-Sri Lanka ICC T20 World Cup Winner 2007 South Africa ACC Asia Cup Runner-up 2008 Pakistan
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 22 February 2021

Shanthakumaran Nair Sreesanth (born 6 February 1983) is a former Indian cricket player and actor. He played for India in all types of cricket games. Sreesanth is known for his fast-medium bowling and right-handed batting.

He played for the Kerala in first class cricket. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), he played for the Rajasthan Royals. Sreesanth was the first player from Kerala's Ranji team to play Twenty20 cricket for India. He was part of the Indian team that won the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 Cricket World Cup. In the 2007 final, he caught the ball that won the game for India.

Sreesanth faced a ban from cricket due to issues related to sports integrity in the 2013 IPL. This ban was later reduced to seven years in August 2019. He returned to play for the Kerala cricket team in 2020. In March 2022, Sreesanth announced he was retiring from domestic cricket.

Sreesanth's Early Life and Family

Sreesanth was born on February 6, 1983. His parents are Santhakumaran Nair and Savithri Devi. He has an older brother and two older sisters.

His brother, Dipu Santhan, owns a music company in Kochi. His oldest sister, Nivedita, is a TV actress in Kerala. Sreesanth's other elder sister, Divya, is married to Madhu Balakrishnan. Madhu is a famous singer from South India.

On December 12, 2013, Sreesanth married Bhuvneshwari Kumari. She is from Jaipur's Shekhawat family. Their wedding took place at the Guruvayur Sri Krishna temple in Kerala.

Sreesanth's Cricket Journey

Starting in Cricket

When Sreesanth was a child, he started as a leg-spinner. He tried to bowl like Anil Kumble, who later became his Test captain. His brother encouraged him to try fast bowling. Sreesanth was good at bowling yorkers, which are fast balls aimed at the batsman's feet.

He joined the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai. In 2002–03, he played his first major cricket game against Goa. He took 22 wickets in seven matches for the Ranji Trophy. This helped him get chosen for the South Zone team.

Making a Mark

In November 2004, Sreesanth made history. He took a hat-trick in a Ranji Trophy game against Himachal Pradesh. This means he took three wickets with three balls in a row.

In October 2005, he played in the Challenger Trophy. He was the best bowler, taking 7 wickets. He won the Man of the Series award. This great performance led to him being chosen for the Indian team. He would play in the One Day International (ODI) series against Sri Lanka.

Playing for India in ODIs

Sreesanth played his first ODI against Sri Lanka in Nagpur. He took his first two ODI wickets in this match. He later took 4 wickets for 58 runs against Pakistani cricket team in Karachi.

In April 2006, he played well against the England. He took 10 wickets and had his best bowling figures of 6 wickets for 55 runs in a match in Indore. He was named man of the match for this game.

Sreesanth was part of the Indian team that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup. He played in the final match.

Sreesanth's Test Cricket Career

Sreesanth at an event in 2012.

In March 2006, Sreesanth was chosen for his first Test match. He played against England in Nagpur. He took 4 wickets in his first game. He also took five wickets in the third Test in Mumbai.

He became India's main fast bowler during the tour of the West Indies. He took his best match figures of 5 wickets for 72 runs in Kingston, Jamaica.

One of his most famous performances was in South Africa in 2006. He took 5 wickets for only 40 runs. This helped India win its first Test match ever on South African soil. He was named man of the match.

Sreesanth playing for India against Somerset in 2011.

Sreesanth was known for his energetic style on the field. He sometimes got into playful arguments with other players. For example, in a match against South Africa, he hit a six after being challenged by bowler André Nel. He then celebrated with a dance.

After being out of the team for a while, Sreesanth returned in November 2009. He played against Sri Lanka in Kanpur. He took five wickets in the first innings. India won the match, and Sreesanth was named Man of the Match. His captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, praised his bowling skills.

Winning the 2007 ICC World Twenty20

In September 2007, Sreesanth joined the Indian team for the first ICC T-20 World Cup. He helped India win important matches. In the semifinal against Australia, he took the key wickets of Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden. This helped India win the game.

In the final match against Pakistan, Sreesanth took the winning catch. He was standing at fine leg when he caught the ball. This catch secured India's victory in the tournament.

Playing in the Indian Premier League

Sreesanth played for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In the first IPL season in 2008, he took 18 wickets. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament.

He later played for Kochi Tuskers Kerala in 2011. He returned to Rajasthan Royals for the 2012 season. However, he did not play due to injuries.

Ban and Comeback

In May 2013, Sreesanth faced issues related to sports integrity during the IPL. His contract with Rajasthan Royals was stopped. In September 2013, the BCCI banned him from cricket.

In July 2015, he was cleared of some charges. However, in October 2017, the Kerala High Court brought back his ban. In March 2019, the Supreme Court of India asked the BCCI to review the ban. The BCCI then reduced his ban to 7 years. This meant he could play cricket again from September 13, 2020.

After his ban ended, Sreesanth wanted to play cricket again. He was chosen for the Kerala Team in 2021. He played his first match after the ban in January 2021. On March 9, 2022, Sreesanth announced his retirement from domestic cricket.

Sreesanth's Film and TV Career

Sreesanth has also worked as an actor in films and on television.

Film Roles

Television Appearances

Sreesanth has been on several reality TV shows. In 2008, he was on Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena. In 2014, he joined the dance show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. He was eliminated after 5 weeks.

In 2018, Sreesanth was a contestant on Bigg Boss. This is a popular Indian reality show. He finished as the runner-up of the season. He became known as one of the most talked-about contestants. He made friends with other housemates like Dipika Kakar.

Sreesanth's Political Career

On March 25, 2016, Sreesanth joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He ran in the Kerala Assembly elections from Thiruvananthapuram. He received 34,764 votes but did not win the election. He lost to VS Sivakumar of the Congress party.

Images for kids

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  Sreesanth playing for India against Somerset in 2011.