In a surprising move, Sanju Samson has pulled out of the Kerala Cricket League. This comes right after a tough few weeks for the star, from being on the bench during the T20 World Cup to being snubbed for the Zimbabwe tour.
The star wicket-keeper batsman has surprisingly decided to pull out of the upcoming third edition of the KeralaCricket League (KCL 2026). This decision comes after a rollercoaster few days for Sanju, who was part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad. Despite the victory, he didn’t get a single game in the playing XI and was later not picked for the Zimbabwe tour.
According to reports, Sanju Samson has not registered his name for the Kerala Cricket League auction, which is set to take place in Thiruvananthapuram. A total of 156 players will go under the hammer, but Sanju, Kerala’s biggest cricket icon, is not on the list. This has left many fans surprised. Earlier, his team ‘Kochi Blue Tigers’ had released him, and everyone expected him to be a top draw at the auction.
But Sanju has decided against it. Sanju Samson has already informed the Kerala Cricket Association about his decision. Sanju’s popularity in Kerala is massive, and he has a huge fan following not just in the state but also abroad. His absence will be a huge blow for the KCL tournament, as he was its main attraction.
Last season, the Kochi Blue Tigers had bought Sanju Samson for a whopping ₹26.80 lakh, making him the most expensive player in the league. The third season of the tournament is scheduled from August 20 to September 5. During this period, Team India will be playing a Test series against Sri Lanka.
While Sanju is not part of the Test squad, his decision to skip the league has raised many questions. After the initial matches against Ireland and England in the World Cup, Sanju didn’t get any more chances. Now, his withdrawal from a state-level league is sparking a lot of debate.