Sanju Samson will captain Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, with the Kerala Cricket Association announcing an 18-member squad for the domestic T20 tournament that begins on November 14. Kerala, officially called Keralam, will open their campaign against Madhya Pradesh on Saturday at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in New Chandigarh.
The appointment comes on Samson’s 32nd birthday, and it gives the India wicketkeeper-batter a leadership role in the domestic season after he featured in the T20I series against New Zealand. Samson is not part of India’s ODI and Test squads for the ongoing tour, so the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy offers him match time and a chance to lead from the front as Kerala aim to improve on last season’s performance in India’s premier domestic T20 competition.
Kerala have been placed in Elite Group C alongside Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tripura, Puducherry, Assam and Himachal Pradesh. The group-stage fixtures will test Samson’s side from the start, with the opener against Madhya Pradesh followed by games against the other six teams in the group.
The squad has a familiar look, built around players who have impressed in domestic cricket and the Kerala Cricket League. Vishnu Vinod, Kerala’s red-ball captain, is part of the 18, along with domestic stalwart Jalaj Saxena, whose all-round experience will be valuable in the T20 format. Mohammed Azharuddeen provides a second wicketkeeping option, while Rohan Kunnummal, Salman Nizar and Vignesh Puthur add depth to the batting and spin departments.
Samson brings plenty of leadership experience to the role. He has captained Rajasthan Royals in the IPL for several seasons and has led Kerala before, and his calm presence at the top of the order will be central to the side’s plans. With the bat, he remains one of the most destructive Indian batters in the shortest format, and Kerala will look to him to set the tone in the powerplay.
For Kerala, the tournament is a chance to make a mark in a competition where the big domestic sides usually dominate the headlines. A strong group-stage run in New Chandigarh would put Samson’s team in the frame for the knockouts, and the captain will know that his own form with the bat could also keep him firmly in the selectors’ thoughts for the white-ball sides.
The tournament matters for Samson’s own international ambitions too. He featured in the T20I leg against New Zealand but is not part of the ODI or Test squads on the tour, so a strong run as captain and batter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is his chance to press his case for a regular place in India’s white-ball sides.
Kerala squad for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27: Sanju Samson (capt, wk), Rohan Kunnummal, Mohammed Azharuddeen (wk), Ahammed Imran, Govind Dev Pai, Krishna Devan, Vishnu Vinod (wk), Salman Nizar, Akhil Scaria, Nikhil M, Vignesh Puthur, Biju Narayanan N, Karthik B Nair, Vaishak Chandran, KM Asif, MD Nidheesh, Sharafuddeen NM, Jalaj Saxena.
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