Sanju Samson is set to lead Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which starts from November 26. The India star, who has recently switched to Chennai Super Kings from Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, will be leading the state team in the domestic T20 competition.
Along with that, Sanju's elder brother Saly Samson has also been named in the SMAT 2025 squad. Saly, who played with his younger brother in the Kerala Cricket League, will now don the Kerala shirt together. Saly also led the Kochi Blue Tigers to KCL Season 2 victory earlier this year.
Sanju made his blockbuster move to CSK after his 12-year-long stint with the Royals. The Kerala star's trade also included Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran going to the Royals.
Along with the Samson duo, young
batter Ahammed Imran has been named vice-captain in the squad, who made a strong mark in the KCL with Thrissur Titans.
Former Mumbai Indians player Vignesh Puthur is also in the side, while Salman Nizar's inclusion remains on fitness clearance despite being named into the squad. Vishnu Vinod is also in the team while former Ranji captain Sachin Baby has been left out. Akhil Scaria, the top wicket-taker in the KCL for the two seasons, is also in the side.
Kerala are placed in Group A of the SMAT competition, which includes Chandigarh, Odisha, Vidarbha, Railways, Andhra Pradesh and Mumbai. They start their campaign against Odisha on November 26, and all of their group stage matches will be played in Lucknow.
Some of the players will travel to Lucknow on Sunday (November 23), and some of them will join from Indore, where Kerala played against Madhya Pradesh in their last Ranji match.
Kerala have made a disappointing start to their Ranji Trophy campaign this season. Last year's finalists are currently placed second bottom in their group, with just 8 points after five matches. As they take part in the upcoming SMAT 2025, the Kerala team will be hoping to make a strong mark.
Kerala SMAT 2025 Squad
Sanju Samson (c, wk), Rohan Kunnummal, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Ahammed Imran (vc), Vishnu Vinod (wk), Krishna Devan, Abdul Bazith, Saly Samson, Salman Nizar, Krishna Prasad, Sibin P Gireesh, Ankit Sharma, Akhil Scaria, Biju Narayanan, Asif KM, MD Nidheesh, Vignesh Puthur, Sharafuddeen NM
