New Delhi: Former Railways and Kerala left-arm spinner Mani Suresh Kumar, a former India under-19 ‘Test’ teammate of Rahul Dravid, was found hanging from the ceiling of his house in Alappuzha, Kerala. He was 47, and is survived by his wife and a son.

It was reported that Suresh’s wife and son saw him hanging inside his bedroom on Friday evening, and informed the police.

“He was a genuine cricketer. His issue was that he was addicted to alcohol. He also used to pick up a quarrel, though his financial condition was stable. It seems a case of suicide,” a former Kerala player told IANS on condition of anonymity.

Suresh played 72 first-class matches between 1991-92 and 2005-06, and captured 196 wickets at an average of 27.77, and scored 1,657 runs as well, including a century and seven half-centuries.

An officer with the Southern Railways, Suresh first represented Kerala in the Ranji Trophy in 1991-92 and then switched to Railways, with which he was employed, in 1995-96. And from 1999-2000 till the end of his Ranji career in 2005-06, he again represented Kerala.

Besides playing Ranji Trophy, Suresh also played Duleep Trophy representing South Zone and Central Zone.

The local police said that prima facie it looked a case of suicide, but are probing the issue.

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