Cricketers jailed: Sreesanth to Amit Mishra; 5 prominent players who saw prison bars

Sreesanth was served a life ban after he was found guilty of being involved in a spot-fixing scandal while playing for Rajasthan Royals. His ban was later overturned by the Kerala High Court, and he is most likely to play once again for Kerala in the domestic circuit.

Cricket is generally considered the sport of a gentleman. And, it the gentleman's duty to play the sport in the right spirit, besides ensuring that the sport is kept clean. But, that's not always the case.

Over the years, some cricketers have become so conniving that they have risked the reputation of the sport, besides risking their lives as well. Many have faced legal action for the same as well.

From match-fixing to corruption charges, there are have been numerous reasons as to why some cricketers have not only embroiled themselves in legal controversies but have also taken a trip to prison. In the same light, we take a look at some of the prominent cricketers, who unfortunately became jailbirds.

S Sreesanth: Sreesanth is a familiar name in Indian cricket. The pacer was a prominent member of the senior side, having also been a part of the 2007 ICC World T20 and 2011 ICC World Cup-winning sides. However, it was in 2013, when he was found guilty of being involved in a spot-fixing scandal while playing for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Consequently, he was served with a life ban by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He was arrested and sent to jail the very year, before being acquitted in 2015.

Amit Mishra: Another shocking name, as the Indian player took a trip to jail for a weird reason. It was in 2015 when the leg-spinner was taking part in a conditioning camp, in Bengaluru, as part of an ongoing series between India and South Africa. Nonetheless, he found a woman friend in his hotel room. Irritated, he threw a kettle at her. Police arrested him and he was briefly sent to jail, before being released on bail.

Makhaya Ntini: The renowned South African pacer was involved in a serious rape allegation involving a teenager, and he was sentenced to six years of imprisonment in 1999. Although he served jail time for a short period, he was released after an appeal by his lawyer.

Rubel Hossain: A prominent pacer from Bangladesh, he took a trip to prison after his girlfriend had alleged him of raping her. He was arrested and sent to jail, right ahead of the 2015 ICC World Cup. Nonetheless, it was the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) who urged the cops to release him on the grounds of national interest. The cops complied, and he steered the side to the quarters in the tournament, while his girlfriend, later, withdrew the complaint.

Ben Stokes: The terrific English all-rounder had taken a trip to the prison, following his involvement in a street brawl. During an incident in Bristol, in 2017, Stokes had punched a guy after the latter, along with his friends, had reportedly attacked a gay couple. After video footage of the same emerged, he went to jail, before being released on bail. He also underwent a number of court hearings, and missed the Ashes the very year, besides losing the vice-captain spot for England.