I would have been a choreographer if not for cricket: Sreesanth

Chennai, May 6: The Indian speedster from kerala S Sreesanth today 'confessed' that he loves to dance and recently when he was under pressure on the eve of a match, the team India players put on some music and asked him to dance.

That sure drove his blues away, as the talented bowler told newspersons at the MRF Pace Foundation where he was a trainee in his formative years.

''Had I not been a cricketer, I would have become a choreographer'', Sreesanth said, confessing his love for dance. He has already revealed his talent for break dancing to his teamates.

Sreesanth, who will be at the Foundation for about four days before emplaning for West Indies in May 11 along with team India, has come back to his 'alma mater' to improve his skills to make more batsmen dance to his bowling! ''It's like coming back home. I feel I have to work on my running technique, the positioning of the left arm and work on my yorkers'', Sreesanth, who will be working under Chief Coach T A Sekhar explained. '' I want to focus on my bowling'', he said.

Answering in the affirmative that he was looking forward for the tour to West Indies, Sreesanth said '' I will do what the team management wants me to do. I will not be carried away. I will stick to the basics'', he added.

Sreesanth also clarified that he had not exactly said he was aiming to achieve a speed of 150 kmph. ''I had only said if I continue to bowl the way I have been so far, I can soon touch 150 kmph'', he clarified.

Talking about his speed, the Kochi lad said ''I am a rhythmic bowler. When I get my rhythm, I bowl at 143 to 145 kmph. ''I want to be a fast bowler. I will be patient and keep my bowling simple, in touch with the basics'', he said. Sreesanth said he owed his success to training to MRF Pace Foundation. ''I speak to Sekhar sir everytime on the eve of a match for India. He knows my bowling as I have been playing league matches for MRF.'' ''On the way to the ground, I call him as I call my parents. That gives me a lot of confidence'', he said.

Sreesanth said he has been enjoying the fame following his success for the team. ''I just love posing for photographs. That inspires me to do better everytime'', he also confessed, adding ''I have been wanting to achieve fame.'' Asked about his liking to play for Test and ODI and which one he preferred, Sreesanth said ''let it be Test or ODI, I just want to bowl. I hope I get to play both,'' he said.

When asked if the fact that a fast bowler was prone to injuries undermined his confidence, Sreesanth said he was well aware that they were part of a fast bowler's career. ''I don't want to think about the negatives'', he emphasised.

Asked how it felt to be bowling for India along with his 'fellow students' at the MRF Pace Foundation like Irfan Pathan, Sreesanth said ''It's nice to bowl for India along with my partner in MRF.'' ''We interact a lot as we used to do at the Foundation. I remember we used to talk while sleeping on the terrace'', he fondly recalled. Sreesanth said the atmosphere in the Indian dressing room during matches was also ''superb.

''It's like a family. Even in team meetings everyone is given an opportunity to talk. It gives me lot of confidence'', he said.

Sreesanth also agreed that his rise in the Indian team has been helping the growth of cricket in Kerala at the grass roots level.

''Kerala cricket is growing. The facilities I recently saw made me feel that I missed them when I was 13 and just into cricket''.

About the new pay structure announced by the Cricket Board, Sreesanth said it felt good. ''I can be more confident now about my position in the team'', he added.

UNI