Sanju Samson was denied the captaincy with the announcement of the Kerala Ranji Trophy squad

The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has named a 15-member Sanju Samson squad for the upcoming 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season. Star wicket-keeper-batsman Mohammad Azharuddin will lead Kerala in the upcoming season Papa Ibrajit He will be his deputy.

Azharuddin was handed the captaincy after impressing with 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 experience and composure to the captaincy.

Sanju Samson gears up for red-ball clash as Kerala names squad for Ranji Trophy 2025-26

The biggest highlight of the team is the inclusion of Sanju Samson. The Indian wicket-keeper-batsman has been named in Kerala’s squad for the maiden red-ball tournament. Samson will play Kerala’s opening match against Maharashtra, starting October 15 in Thiruvananthapuram.

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Next, Samson will travel to Australia with the Indian cricket team for the five-match T20I series. His presence will be a big boost for the national team, as he was in good form entering the match after winning the 2025 Asian Cup in the UAE.

Apart from the wicket-keeper, Sachin Baby has also returned to the Kerala team. Well, Azharuddin, who had a stellar run captaining South Zone in the Duleep Trophy, will now have the opportunity to build on that success in the upcoming 2025-26 Ranji Trophy.

Kerala opt for a strong pace attack

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

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

Surprisingly, the guest is the left-arm spinner Ankit Sharma He is the only forward line player in the team for next season. However, the bowling attack looks promising. Nidheesh MD and Basil NP will be in charge of the new ball, while young players Eden Apple Tom and Ahmed Imran have been brought in to provide support and energy to the pace department.

Kerala had faith in young and inexperienced spinners Shaun Roger and Abhishek P Nair. They will start their 2025-26 Ranji Trophy campaign against Maharashtra in Thiruvananthapuram.

Kerala Ranji Trophy 2025-26 lineup:

Muhammad Azharudi (middle), Baba Samson, Rohan Kunnumal, Vatsal Govind Sharma, Vatsal Govindra, Salman Nisar, Eden Appletom, Ahmaran, Sean Roger, Ankit Sharma, Nidesh MD, Basil NB, Abhishek P Nair.

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

Meanwhile, Samson was named in India’s T20I squad, but did not find a place in Australia’s ODI squad, as the selectors picked Dhruv Jurel ahead of the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman. This call did not go down well with former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif.

Cave criticized the selectors by saying Gurriel shows promise, but Sampson would have been a better option in Australia’s middle order. “Leaving Sanju Samson was a wrong decision because Sanju usually plays lower down the order, around number five or six, and for that position, he is a much better option than Dhruv Gurel,” he said.