Sanju Samson just got some exciting news from Kerala cricket. He’s been named captain for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 starting November 26. This comes right after his big IPL 2026 move from the Rajasthan Royals to the Chennai Super Kings. Leading his home state will mean a lot to Samson personally.
Family Reunion in Kerala Squad
Here’s something really special about this team selection. Sanju’s brother Sally Samson made it into the squad too. The two brothers played together in the Kerala Cricket League before this. Now they’ll share the same dressing room for Kerala’s national tournament.
Ahmed Imran will serve as vice-captain under Sanju Samson’s leadership here. The team has some solid IPL experience scattered throughout actually. Vignesh Puthur and Vishnu Vinod both played for the Mumbai Indians previously. That experience helps when handling pressure situations in big matches.
Akhil Skaria brings good bowling form to this Kerala lineup. He was the top wicket-taker in the Kerala Cricket League for two seasons straight. His constant games finally earned him this well-deserved call-up.
Sachin Baby surprisingly missed out on selection this time around. His exclusion raised a few eyebrows among Kerala cricket fans.
Tough Group Stage Awaits Kerala
Kerala got placed in Group A for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025. They’ll face tough teams like Mumbai, Vidarbha, and Odisha there. Chandigarh, Railways, and Andhra Pradesh complete their group opponents.
All group matches will happen in Lucknow throughout the competition. Kerala’s opening match comes against Odisha on November 26 itself. Some players will travel to Lucknow on November 23 already. Others will join after finishing a Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh.
The squad looks balanced with experienced players and hungry youngsters mixed together. Everyone expects Sanju Samson to bring his A-game as captain now. Kerala fans hope this tournament marks a fresh start finally. Success here would give Samson confidence before his CSK journey begins.
Can Sanju Samson Turn Kerala’s Fortunes Around?
Last season didn’t go well for Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025. They crashed out during the group stage without advancing further. The team desperately wants to change that result this year.
Sanju Samson’s captaincy experience from IPL should help the squad massively. He knows how to handle different match situations calmly under pressure. His batting prowess adds another weapon to Kerala’s arsenal too.
