Ankeet Chavan has requested the Indian cricket board and Mumbai Cricket Association to reconsider the life ban imposed on him for his involvement in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal.

That year, the BCCI disciplinary committee had found three Rajasthan Royals players – Sreesanth, Chavan, and Ajit Chandila – guilty of spot-fixing in the IPL and had handed them life bans. However in 2015, a Delhi trial court dropped all charges against the these players for lack of evidence.

“I have requested them to reconsider my life ban. I want to play cricket again. I want to be back on the ground. Sreesanth has successfully challenged his case. He is going to play cricket again. I face the same situation and feel my ban should also be reconsidered. I have requested my home association MCA to take my case forward,” Chavan, a 34-year-old left-arm spinner, said.

Ankeet Chavan has requested the Indian cricket board and Mumbai Cricket Association to reconsider the life ban imposed on him for his involvement in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal.

That year, the BCCI disciplinary committee had found three Rajasthan Royals players – Sreesanth, Chavan, and Ajit Chandila – guilty of spot-fixing in the IPL and had handed them life bans. However in 2015, a Delhi trial court dropped all charges against the these players for lack of evidence.

“I have requested them to reconsider my life ban. I want to play cricket again. I want to be back on the ground. Sreesanth has successfully challenged his case. He is going to play cricket again. I face the same situation and feel my ban should also be reconsidered. I have requested my home association MCA to take my case forward,” Chavan, a 34-year-old left-arm spinner, said.

Till now, Sreesanth has been the only one of the three players to challenge his ban. In 2019, the Supreme Court revoked the life ban slapped on him and asked the board to revisit the quantum of punishment. The board later allowed Sreesanth to play cricket from the 2020 season.

Chavan hasn’t played any cricket since his ban but Sreesanth’s impending return has given him hope.

“In 2015, I got a clean chit (a Delhi Court dropped all charges) but the ban was still there. I’m desperate to make a comeback on the ground and that’s why I made a request to the board and MCA. Life feels incomplete without cricket, I just want to play again. It will not be proper for me to comment any further, I have made a request, let’s see what happens,” he said.

Chavan came into the spotlight when he took nine wickets in an innings in a Ranji Trophy game against Punjab in 2012.

MCA secretary Sanjay Naik said he has received Chavan’s application and the matter will be discussed by the Apex Council.

“We have received his email and will discuss this in our Apex Council meet,” Naik said.

Chavan has played 18 First-Class matches and 20 List A games apart from 13 IPL fixtures.