Sreesanth STUNS fans by dismissing Shikhar Dhawan, Nitish Rana on comeback trail: WATCH

Even if he falls flat in games that remain, one of greatest sports stories to come out of this year will be Sreesanth comeback story at Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021. Once a mainstay of Indian national men's side, Sreesanth's career nearly ended in 2013. 2013 Indian Premier League spot-fixing case - which initially led to a lifetime ban before being reduced to a seven-year-long ban - has turned once aggressive, 20-something bowler into a battle-hardened man.

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Sreesanth eyeing IPL 2021 spot after Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021 performance?

w an older and perhaps a much wiser man of 37, Sreesanth has tried hard to shake away im he has earned from 2013 scandal. Kerala bowler has kept his down - mostly - through se seven years, only describing anguish he felt at apparently being treated so harshly after his controversy. At time of his sentencing, Sreesanth h said that it was his dream to play just one more game for India. Sreesanth's promising career with India may have come to an end, but he has t given up yet. 

At a time when almost all his contemporaries have retired and taken up lives of less toil and trouble, Sreesanth has decided that to make up for lost time. Having picked up everything from acting to politics to reality TV,  feisty cricketer returned to his home ground sometime in September last year - a sort of pilgrim after 7 years - to get back to basics. With full weight of Kerala Cricket Association behind him, Sreesanth has prospered on field. 

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Sreesanth scalps Dhawan and Nitish Rana as Kerala take on Delhi at SMAT 2021

After seven years dreaming of moment, Sreesanth kcked over Puducherry opener Fabid Ahmed's stumps to get his first wicket of season recently. He ended match with figures of 29-1, thing remarkable and yet a huge deal for man himself. Going at 47-0 in next game against Mumbai, it would have been easy to forget that Sreesanth is a veteran of 44 IPL games with 40 wickets to his name. However, it is his performance in game against table-toppers, Delhi that me news on Friday.

Playing against mostly untested youngsters until w, Sreesanth was yet to face a challenge akin to that of his earlier days. But in facing Delhi, Sreesanth faced two experienced players - Shikhar Dhawan and Nitish Rana. With Dhawan in sublime form and Rana looking to accelerate, Kerala captain Sanju Samson called on his most experienced bowler to seek help - and help he did. Sreesanth ended Dhawan's might kck of 77 for 48 while Rana was sent back at just 16 for 11 as Delhi finished with a massive 212 on board. It worked majorly as Kerala have won game after a gutsy 91 by Robin Uthappa and 71 off 38 by Vishnu Vid.

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Im Credits: Sreesanth Twitter

Video Credits: BCCI