Sreesanth Suspended by KCA After Backing Sanju Samson, Sparks Row Over Player Treatment

The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has suspended former India fast bowler S Sreesanth from all cricket-related activities under its umbrella, following comments he made in support of Sanju Samson. The state body claims Sreesanth made “false and derogatory” remarks, particularly in the wake of Samson being left out of India’s squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.

This decision came during KCA’s annual general meeting held on April 30 in Kochi, and was officially announced in a statement released on Friday. According to KCA, Sreesanth crossed the line when he publicly alleged that the association had sidelined Samson last year, which in turn affected the wicketkeeper-batter’s national team chances. Things escalated further when Sanju Samson’s father also hit out at the KCA in a TV interview, accusing the association of mistreating his son. In response, the KCA is now also considering legal action against him, saying he made “baseless allegations” using Sanju’s name. 

The fallout traces back to last season, when Samson skipped Kerala’s preparatory camp ahead of the Vijay Hazare Trophy and subsequently wasn’t picked for the tournament. When he was snubbed for the Champions Trophy squad, many pointed to his absence from the domestic circuit as a reason. 

Reacting to his suspension, Sreesanth seemed both surprised and disheartened. “I honestly don't know what wrong I've done,” he said in a video that was aired by multiple news outlets. “All I did was express support for Sanju, who is one of our own.” He added, “That’s the only act of kindness I’ve shown. I haven’t said anything else against the Association. All I said was that if those in the Association had played cricket — at a high level — it would have been better.” 

So, what exactly did Sreesanth say that stirred the hornet’s nest? In an interview with Onmanorama, he stated, “We have just one player at the international level, Sanju. Let’s all support him. The so-called KCA has not produced an international cricketer since Sanju. We have great players like Sachin, Nidheesh, Vishnu Vinod, and many others, but are they (KCA) pushing them to play at a higher level?” 

His comments struck a chord with fans who have long felt the state association hasn’t done enough to support its top talents — but they clearly didn’t go down well with the KCA. The situation continues to unfold, but one thing’s clear: this is more than just a difference of opinion — it’s a full-blown cricketing controversy.