I hope Sreesanth’s comeback is one of the best in cricket: Sandeep Warrier

S. Sreesanth’s return to the Kerala Ranji Trophy team seems imminent in the upcoming domestic season as another paceman from the state – Sandeep Warrier – has already charted out an exit plan. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) paceman is all set to turn out for Tamil Nadu next season, thereby opening up a slot for Sreesanth in the Kerala team.

Talking on Homerun with AV with sports commentator Arun Venugopal, Sandeep Warrier said that Sreesanth is going to make an unbelievable comeback to cricket. Sreesanth, who was banned for seven years for indulging in alleged spot-fixing back in 2013, will be eligible to play active cricket again from September 2020.

“I didn’t have the chance to interact with him. But I hope that his will be one of the best comebacks that cricket has even seen. And I know it will be one of the best comebacks that cricket has ever seen because of his determination and skill level,” Sandeep Warrier told Arun Venugopal.

The 29-year-old Sandeep Warrier made his first-class debut for Kerala in 2012. In 57 first-class games, Warrier has taken 186 wickets at an average of 24.43.

The Thrissur-born paceman was signed up by KKR for the 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) season after he had gone unsold in the December 2018 auction. An injury to pace bowler Kamlesh Nagarkoti meant that the Shah Rukh Khan-owned IPL franchise sought Sandeep Warrier as Nagarkoti's replacement.

How Sandeep Warrier's move to Tamil Nadu came about

Now that Sandeep Warrier has decided to move to Tamil Nadu, the promising fast bowler revealed how the switch came about, even though he is yet to get an NOC from Kerala in this regard.

“I haven’t got it (NOC from Kerala) yet. There’s a delay due to the lockdown. Since I’ve been employed here with India Cements (in Tamil Nadu) last year and I am married and settled here, and my training and bowling is at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai, I thought this would be a good time for me to move to Tamil Nadu. I hope I can play as a local player."

Sandeep Warrier also said that due to the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, he is unsure about the resumption of domestic cricket any time soon.

“I don’t know anything about the NOC yet. Once the lockdown is over we will get to know. We don’t know anything about what’s going to happen, when the season is going to begin, so I am not thinking about that."

Sandeep Warrier said that it was Dinesh Karthik who suggested him to seek a move to Tamul Nadu and play as a local player for the state.

“I spoke to DK (Dinesh Karthik) about this (move to Tamil Nadu), and he was the one who suggested to me that since I’m employed in Tamil Nadu and everything related to cricket is here, you can change and try coming to Tamil Nadu and play for the state. I also thought that would be a good option,” Sandeep Warrier said.