After Sreesanth, banned Ankeet Chavan hopeful of returning to competitive cricket
Former Mumbai spinner Ankeet Chavan is hopeful of making a return to competitive cricket after being away from the game for almost eight years. The 35-year-old was allegedly involved in the IPL 2013 spot-fixing scandal alongside his Rajasthan Royals teammates S Sreesanth and Ajit Chandila.
The trio were handed a lifetime ban from playing competitive cricket, but Sreesanth's ban was reduced to seven years by the Supreme Court. The veteran pacer also began playing competitive cricket for Kerala post-September 2020 and was allowed to put his name forward for the IPL 2021 auction.
Ankeet Chavan, in an interview with Cricbuzz, said that he also had the permission of the Ombudsman of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to resume cricket after a seven-year ban (which ended in September 2020).
"I have pleadingly requested the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to help and support me like it has always done in the past and take my application forward. The Ombudsman, in his order a month back (May 3), said that my punishment be reduced to seven years which ended in September 2020," Ankeet Chavan said.
BCCI still haven't responded to Ankeet Chavan's plea
Ankeet Chavan revealed that he had also written to the BCCI to look into the matter, but hasn't received a reply yet. This is the main reason why he wants MCA to intervene in the matter and help him play competitive cricket again.
"I have written to the BCCI to have my ban revoked and attached the Ombudsman order too. But I have not heard from the BCCI and hence I have requested the MCA to intervene," Chavan stated.
While the MCA are still reluctant to take any step without the permission of the BCCI, only time will tell whether 35-year-old Chavan will ever play competitive cricket again.
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