Confirmed! Sanju Samson Set To Join New Franchise On July 5 | Cricket News
India’s star batter Sanju Samson is set to enter the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) player auction for the first time as the second edition of the T20 league gears up for action. The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) will hold the KCL 2.0 auction in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5, with Samson expected to be the marquee name available.
Samson Registers for KCL Auction
After missing the inaugural 2024 season of the KCL due to international commitments, where he only served as the league ambassador, Samson has now thrown his name into the player pool. With a relatively clear international schedule ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, Samson’s participation is confirmed. The upcoming KCL season runs from August 22 to September 7, meaning Samson could be available for the playoff stages if the Bangladesh-India series (August 17 – August 31) takes place as planned.
Samson’s inclusion in the league is expected to be a game-changer, especially for cricket fans in Thiruvananthapuram. The Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain will be looking to gain valuable match practice and reignite his campaign to secure a regular spot in India’s T20I side. He had fallen out of favour following a tough five-match T20I series against England earlier this year. The wicketkeeper-batter faced injury setbacks during the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. For much of the campaign, Riyan Parag took over captaincy duties for Rajasthan Royals, with Sanju Samson initially featuring only as an Impact Player before being sidelined due to injury. He scored 257 runs in nine innings at an average of 35.63.
KCL 2.0: Tournament Dates, Format, and Franchises
The second season of KCL is scheduled from August 22 to September 7. A franchise owners’ meeting took place on June 26. The six teams competing this year are:
Kollam Sailors
Calicut Globstars
Alleppey Ripples
Kochi Blue Tigers
Thrissur Titans
Trivandrum Royals
In the inaugural season, 114 players were picked from 168 registrations, with franchises spending an average of Rs 40 lakh each. Kollam Sailors, led by Kerala domestic captain Sachin Baby, were crowned champions after defeating the Calicut Globstars in the final.
