I waited two-and-a-half years to clear my name. I will wait again to get a chance to play: Santhakumaran Sreesanth

After the happenings of May 16, 2013, the whole country believed that you cheated in the IPL. The Delhi Police said you were in the habit of using a towel as a 'signal' to notify bookies. But 26 months later, you have got a clean chit from the court. What did you go through?
It's beyond explanation. I can't tell you what my family has gone through. The same people who were proud of telling the world that they hailed from Sreesanth's state (Kerala) started abusing me publicly. After the court delivered its verdict on Saturday, a cousin of mine told me that he couldn't wait to go back to office on Monday. He was dying to meet all his colleagues who hounded him by saying that 'your relative is a fraudster'. A lot of people have already said sorry to my friends and relatives for making a criminal out of me. God has been extremely kind.

Your lawyer, Rebecca John, told dna a few days ago that the evidence produced by the prosecution was weak and sketchy. Why do you think the case fell flat?
My case was simple. They said I had agreed to concede 14 runs in an over (Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals at Mohali on May 9, 2013). I gave away just 13. The first four deliveries cost just five runs (Adam Gilchrist then hit two consecutive fours). I did not bowl a slower one or a wide ball or a no-ball.

They said my friend, Jiju Janardhan, was a bookie.They never even mentioned the fact that he was a cricketer who represented Gujarat from Under-13 to Under-25. They also said that Jiju told a bookie on the phone that Sreesanth would wear a towel; if not a towel then a head band; if not a head band then a wrist band; if not wrist band then a tika on the forehead. Are you kidding me? If Jiju were a bookie, wouldn't he give me specific instructions? Look, I am a superstitious person. I have my reasons. One day, you'll see me with an orange tika. Another day, you'll see me with a red tika. That's because someone from my house instructs me to do so. As a family, we are very religious.

What about the towel?
Go and ask anyone who was in the Mohali dressing room that day. There was no small towel. I chopped (cut) a big towel. I had a tika that day. And I wear contact lenses. Anyone who wears contacts will tell you how sweat rolls down the forehead and into the eyes. Look, I have not spoken about any of this for a long, long time. I took a big bathing towel and cut it. I then took a piece and carried it with me to the middle. I ended up in Tihar for no reason. Who is going to answer for all this? The honourable court has given me a new lease of life. All I want now is the respect of the people.

The court has dropped the charges, but the BCCI is in no mood to lift the life ban. Isn't this partial freedom?
I would love to play cricket today. Every day, I keep hearing I won't be allowed (to play again). I have waited for two-and-a-half years to clear my name. I will wait again to get a chance to play. I have never cheated. I was over-aggressive and all that, but I never cheated. You can ask my school teachers. I never cheated even in school. I have never copied in an exam. I have never copied anyone's dance step ever. I am not just a cricketer. I represent Kerala, I represent India. I could not speak about all of this. I respect the constitution of India and the judicial system. I have waited and I got a clean chit.

Tell us about your wife. She stood by you...
I have known her (Bhuvneshwari Kumari) since 2006. We were good friends first. Then we fell in love. In 2011, we decided to get married. We wanted to tie the knot after the World Cup win. But we put it off because of my injury problems. I had a big surgery in 2012. We decided to finally get married in September of 2013. In May, all hell broke loose. I was in the worst possible condition. I think the only thing worse than what I went through would be death. One day in court, my brother came to me with a message. Bhuvneshwari's father told him 'no matter what the marriage is on. Whatever happens, my daughter will get married to Sreesanth'. They hail from a royal family (Shekhawat family, Rajasthan). Those words motivated me. They kept me alive. A lot of people would have given up. My father is 76. He suffered two heart attacks and underwent an open-heart surgery. My mother has high blood pressure. What they went through is unimaginable.

My wife doesn't act like a princess. You should see the way she talks to the doorman, the driver or the domestic help. She is a simple lady. Every cricketer wishes for a wife like Anjali bhabhi (Sachin Tendulkar's wife). My wife is just like Anjali bhabhi. In one sentence, my wife completes me. Her name is Bhuvneshwari. She is the devi of our home. When God is with me, nobody can harm me.

Has fatherhood changed you?
I told myself I would never get married. And here I am now (laughs). I have come to realise that marriage is the best thing. The baby's arrival has been even more special. Look, my wife and I wake up at 3:00 am to play with our daughter. I think she goes by USA time (laughs). Life has changed a lot. The other day, I took her in front of the media. She was smiling with her eyes closed. I have this feeling that my baby will become a superstar one day. She has the cutest smile ever.

What's your plan of action?
I have to wait patiently. I have no godfather in life. I believe I have the ability to do well. That's what I am.

You are 32 now...
It may sound impossible, but there are people I look up to. We have all seen cricketers play beyond the age of 40. A couple of them even played in the 2015 World Cup. I will wait. I respect the BCCI a lot. I can't deny the fact that I am what I am because of the platform the BCCI gave me. They gave me the chance to play for India. If they go into the details of the case, they will know the truth. I will keep myself fit. I will train hard. I hope I am allowed to play club cricket and Ranji Trophy. I am not asking anyone to pick me for India. I want to help Kerala. I want to be respected again. I want to help youngsters. Please go and ask Rahul Dravid who took Sanju Samson and six other Kerala boys to the Rajasthan Royals selection trials. I have always helped young cricketers.

So you won't take the legal route...
I will never take the legal route against the BCCI. I just want to clear the air. I will wait for my chance. I am not in a hurry. I have always believed in life giving you a second chance. Everyone gets a second chance. Otherwise we would all be dead. I am sure whoever is acting against me knows what he's doing and why he'd doing it. I am yet to read 383 WhatsApp messages and 260 SMSes. I haven't had the time to even see the messages. I know a lot of people love me. But some people are still against me. I want to win everybody's respect.