Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has been named Kerala’s captain for the first two matches of the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2023-24 season. Aggressive young batter Rohan Kunummal will serve as his deputy for the red-ball format of the game, with Shreyas Gopal being named in the 16-men squad.
Sanju Samson will now return to India after not being picked in the Test squad for South Africa’s two-match series and will next be seen playing for his state team Kerala in the 2024 Ranji Trophy season. He is expected to be called up to India’s T20I team for a three-match series against Afghanistan in 2024.
Kerala will face Uttar Pradesh in their first Ranji Trophy encounter on January 5 in Alappuzha. Other than Uttar Pradesh, the Sanju Samson-led team will face Mumbai, Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Bihar in Elite Group B.
The 29-year-old was handed another gift after his great performance in the third ODI against South Africa, where he will captain Kerala in the upcoming Ranji Trophy season. In Paarl, the 29-year-old struck 108 runs off 114 balls to lead India to a 78-run triumph over the Proteas.
The selectors have made some strategic decisions, such as recalling Vishnu Vinod and leaving out spin-bowling all-rounder Sijomon Joseph. Vishnu Raj provides a different dimension to the 16-man lineup. Jalaj Saxena and Shreyas Gopal, both experienced spin spinners, have been brought in to polish and enhance the squad.
The Kerala Ranji team will be captained by the dynamic Samson and will consist of a mix of seasoned and emerging players, who appear poised for an exciting Ranji Trophy run. Samson would be eager to maintain his outstanding form and lead his domestic team in the prestigious Indian domestic cricket competition.
During the 2023 season, Sanju Samson suffered multiple setbacks before finally getting his maiden century in the series decider against South Africa. The Indian batter known for his aggressive batting style, played a classic one-day international knock to assist India in reaching a defendable total.
Kerala Squad For Ranji Trophy: Sanju Samson (c), Rohan Kunnummal (vc), Krishna Prasad, Anand Krishnan, Rohan Prem, Sachin Baby, Vishnu Vinod, Akshay Chandran, Shreyas Gopal, Jalaj Saxena, Vaishak Chandran, Basil Thampi, Vishweshwar A Suresh, M D Nidheesh, Basil N P, Vishnu Raj (wk)
