Sanju Samson returns for Kerala in Ranji Trophy opener against Maharashtra, with Mohammed Azharuddeen named team captain.
Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson will play for Kerala when they face Maharashtra on October 15, the first game for the former during the Ranji Trophy 2025-26. Samson is returning to red-ball cricket after nearly one year, not having been selected for the Duleep Trophy nor the Irani Cup this season. His last first-class match was when India 'A' faced Karnataka in October 2024.
The Kerala Cricket Association made Mohammed Azharuddeen the new team captin, replacing Sachin Baby under whom the team was captained to the Ranji Trophy final last season. Azharuddeen, who recently captained South Zone in the Duleep Trophy, will have Baba Aparajith as his deputy.
The leadership transition was done keeping the ultimate future ahead. "We have made Azharuddeen the skipper keeping the future in view as Sanju will be going to Australia to play T20Is. We were searching for continuity in the leadership role," the official said.
Sanju Samson, still very much in the running for the white-ball teams of India, will feature in the Ranji opener before jetting off Down Under to India's five-match T20I series against Australia from October 29 to November 8. Those are the second, third, and fourth rounds of the Ranji season, so the Kerala superstar will miss the entirety of most of the domestic season.
It will face Elite Group B teams where big hitters like Karnataka, Punjab, Saurashtra, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chandigarh, and Goa will also be there.
Kerala Squad: Mohammed Azharuddeen (capt), Baba Aparajith (vice-capt), Sanju Samson, Sachin Baby, Rohan S Kunnumal, Vathsal Govind, Akshay Chandran, Salman Nizar, Ankit Sharma, MD Nidheesh, Basil NP, Edhen Apple Tom, Ahammed Imran, Shoun Roger,.
