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In parents' company, Sreesanth revels in his home turf

DRAWING INSPIRATION: Cricketer S. Sreesanth sharing a lighter moment with his mother in Kochi on Wednesday. — Photo: Mahesh Harilal

"Hey, this is my ma. This, my dad." As S. Sreesanth introduced his mother and father to Sehwag, Dhoni and other team mates at the Taj Malabar, one could notice the pride and joy on his parents' faces. They were just taking their first few steps in the celebrity world of Indian cricket.

A few minutes later, when coach Greg Chappell said, "Sreesanth's personality and bowling are like a breath of fresh air to the team," their faces brightened further. Shanthakumaran Nair and Sarita Devi have watched their son's bowling exploits only on television after he joined the big league. Now, they keenly await Sreesanth's home debut in the India colours.

"We'll be going in full strength for the match. We're a big family; there'll be nearly 50 of us at the stadium tomorrow," Mr. Nair said.

The Nehru Stadium has not been very kind to bowlers in the past. In fact, it has gained a reputation as a bowler's graveyard. The scoreboard has raced past the 300-mark a few times in the last four one-day internationals here.

And Sreesanth, who will be the first Kerala-born Indian cricketer to play at home if he gets into the eleven tomorrow, is clearly aware of these things.

Pressure?

"You bet," he said.

But with his swing and fast deliveries, he has beaten many English bats quite a few times in the recent series and that should give him the confidence here.

Kochi is home to Tinu Yohannan, the first Kerala cricketer to play for the country, and to Sreesanth too. A few years ago, the two were training at the same ground, the Maharaja's College Stadium, but, of course, with different clubs: Tinu with Swantons and Sreesanth with Ernakulam CC.

His forte

Sreesanth and Tinu are good friends; they often exchange notes but Sreesanth is the more aggressive of the two. A bad day does not put him down, and he comes fighting right back, working harder. That is his forte.

But now, as Indian cricket looks for more and more young fast bowlers — to rotate them as the team will be playing more matches than any other cricketing country — , Tinu has a good chance of making a comeback. He has been bowling very well in the Ranji one-dayers too. Even now, whenever they come home, both Tinu and Sreesanth bowl for hours, often alone, at the Nehru Stadium nets.

And when Sreesanth landed in Kochi on Tuesday with the Indian and English cricketers, he did not go to his home ground to work out some last-minute aces.

"I was keen on going but I wanted to enter my home ground with the entire Indian team. That is a very different feeling. So I waited for a day."

A couple of days ago, Kailash Nagar, the colony where Sreesanth's home - the Taj - is located, was renamed Sreesanth Nagar. But that joy lasted just for a day — an ad hoc committee had done the renaming job and apparently not everyone was happy with the way it was done. So, it is now back to Kailash Nagar. Sreesanth is a regular at St. Antony's Church close to the Nehru Stadium. "It is Tuesday today, I think I should make a visit," he said last night.

Well, there are many more candles burning brightly at the little church these days.

Stan Rayan

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