Sanju Samson denied captaincy as Kerala Ranji Trophy squad officially announced

The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has named a Sanju Samson-starrer 15-member squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2025–26 season. Star wicketkeeper-batter Mohammed Azharuddeen will lead Kerala in the upcoming season, while Baba Aparajith will be his deputy.

Azharuddeen has been handed the captaincy after impressing with both leadership and consistency in recent years, while Baba Aparajith, who joined Kerala as a guest player from Tamil Nadu, was brought into the dressing room to add both experience and calmness to the leadership.

Sanju Samson set for red-ball action as Kerala named squad for Ranji Trophy 2025-26

The biggest highlight of the squad is the inclusion of Sanju Samson. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter was named in the Kerala squad for the premier red-ball tournament. Samson will play the opening match for Kerala against Maharashtra, starting October 15 in Thiruvananthapuram.

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After which, Samson will travel to Australia with the Indian cricket team for the five-match T20I series. His presence will be a major boost for the side, as he has been in good form and is coming into the match after winning the Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE.

Apart from the wicketkeeper, Sachin Baby also returned to the Kerala side. Well, Azharuddeen, who had an excellent run leading South Zone in the Duleep Trophy, will now have the opportunity to build on that success in the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2025-26.

Kerala picks a strong pace attack

Aparajith’s inclusion brings valuable experience to the middle order, while his ability to anchor the innings makes him a perfect deputy for Azhar. Kerala’s batting order looks well-balanced. Rohan S Kunnummal, one of the most consistent openers in domestic cricket, will once again have the responsibility of giving Kerala solid starts in the red-ball competition.

The Ranji squad also features talented all-rounders like Vathsal Govind Sharma and Akshay Chandran, and Salman Nizar, who was one of the standout performers in the last season. Nizar is expected to play a key role in the middle order for the Kerala team.

Surprisingly, the guest left-arm spinner Ankit Sharma is the only front-line spinner in the squad for the upcoming season. Still, the bowling attack looks promising. Nidheesh MD and Basil NP will take charge with the new ball, while the young pacers Eden Apple Tom, and Ahammed Imran have been included to provide backup and energy to the pace department.

Kerala trusted the young and inexperienced spinners Shoun Roger and Abhishek P. Nair. They will begin their Ranji Trophy 2025-26 campaign against Maharashtra in Thiruvananthapuram.

Kerala Squad for Ranji Trophy 2025-26:

Mohammed Azharuddeen (C), Baba Aparajith (VC), Sanju Samson, Rohan S Kunnummal, Vathsal Govind Sharma, Akshay Chandran, Sachin Baby, Salman Nizar, Eden Apple Tom, Ahammed Imran, Shoun Roger, Ankit Sharma, Nidheesh MD, Basil NP, Abhishek P Nair.

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Mohammad Kaif questions selectors’ decision to overlook Sanju Samson for Australia ODIs

Meanwhile, Samson was named in India’s T20I squad, but he didn’t find a place in the ODI squad for Australia, as the selectors picked Dhruv Jurel ahead of the seasoned wicketkeeper. This call didn’t sit well with the former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif.

Kaif slammed the selectors by saying that Jurel shows promise, but Samson would have been a better choice for the middle order in Australia. He stated, “Leaving out Sanju Samson was a wrong decision because Sanju usually plays in the lower order, around number five or six, and for that position, he is a much better option than Dhruv Jurel.”