Sanju Samson picked as captain amid heavy CSK interest

Two Kerala star cricketers, Sanju Samson and Sachin Baby, are set to lead teams in a friendly T20 match, set to take place on Friday, August 15, at the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. The friendly match will be held ahead of the upcoming second season of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL).

Upcoming friendly T20 match will excite fans with top Kerala players participating. It will be a thrilling kickoff to the Kerala Cricket League season. Sanju Samson will make his KCL debut, having been the highest-priced player in the auction. The batter was purchased by Kochi Blue Tigers for Rs 26.75 lakh.

Sanju Samson and Sachin Baby to Lead KCA Teams in Friendly T20 Clash

The Greenfield Stadium has upgraded its lighting with new LED floodlights ahead of the second season of the Kerala Cricket League, replacing the older metal halide systems. Notably, the official inauguration will take place on August 15 with a friendly match.

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The exhibition game will feature Kerala’s popular players, including Sanju Samson, Sachin Baby, Azhar, Salman Nizar, and Vishnu Vinod. Samson will captain the KCA Secretary's XI, while Sachin Baby will lead the KCA President's XI.

Entry is free via Gates 5 and 15 through the University Campus Main Entrance. The match will start at 7:30 pm after the inauguration of the renovated floodlights.

KCA Secretary's XI, KCA President's XI Teams

Secretary's XI: Sanju Samson (c & wk), Krishna Prasad, Vishnu Vinod, Salman Nizar, Shaun Roger, Ajnas M, Sijomon Joseph, Basil Thampi, Basil NP, Akhil Skaria, Fanoos F, Muhammed Inan, Sharafuddin NM, and Akin Sattar.

President's XI: Sachin Baby (c), Rohan Kunnummal, Mohammed Azharuddeen (wk), Ahmad Imran, Abhishek J Nair, Abdul Basith, Biju Narayanan, Ethan Apple Tom, Nidheesh MD, Abhijith Praveen, Asif KM, S Mithun, Vinod Kumar CV, and Sachin Suresh (wk).

Sanju Samson to Join Kochi Blue Tigers as Vice-Captain

The Kerala Cricket League 2025 season will be played for 17 days from August 22, with the final scheduled on September 7. Sanju Samson will feature for the Kochi Blue Tigers alongside his brother, Saly Samson, who has been appointed team captain. Sanju will serve as vice-captain for the team.

The Kochi Blue Tigers squad has youth and experience, including veteran KJ Rakesh and emerging player Jobin Joby. This team aims to improve on its fifth-place finish from the inaugural season, hoping the Samson brothers’ leadership sparks a turnaround.

Sanju had missed KCL’s first edition but was bought for ₹26.8 lakh in the auction ahead of Season 2. Meanwhile, Sanju’s IPL future remains uncertain. He, who was retained by Rajasthan Royals (RR) for ₹18 crore, struggled in IPL 2025 due to injuries, scoring 285 runs in nine matches.

According to the latest news reports, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are interested in signing him for IPL 2026. CSK is emerging as the likely choice, with a transition planned for the post-MS Dhoni era.

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