After being given the leadership position for the 2026 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Sanju Samson will return to domestic cricket as Kerala’s captain. The event, which starts on November 24, will feature an 18-person side led by the wicketkeeper-batter.
The Kerala Cricket Association reportedly finalised the Kerala squad on Tuesday, November 10, following the selection trials held at Mangalapuram Stadium. Several performances from the Kerala Cricket League that attended the trials and argued for admission were among those taken into consideration for the camp.
After being given the leadership position for the 2026 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Sanju Samson will return to domestic cricket as Kerala’s captain. The event, which starts on November 24, will feature an 18-person side led by the wicketkeeper-batter.
For this competition, Kerala has been assigned to Elite Group C. Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Puducherry, Tripura, and Kerala are the seven states that make up the group. The team will be keen to go farther into the competition this time after losing in the opening rounds in previous seasons.
Kerala has a strong representation in this competitive group thanks to Samson’s experience behind the stumps and at the top of the order. On November 14, Kerala will begin their campaign against Madhya Pradesh; however, this fixture information is based on information provided by the editor and has not been independently confirmed.
Samson had led Kerala in the previous edition as well, but the team could only manage a fourth-place finish in Elite Group A and failed to progress to the next stage. The wicketkeeper-batter enjoyed a productive campaign individually, accumulating 233 runs from six innings at a strike rate of 137.86. He was Kerala’s second-highest run-getter, behind Rohan Kunnummal.
