Sanju Samson become most expensive signing at Kerala Cricket League auctions

Sanju Samson, a star cricketer, recently made history as the most expensive player to be auctioned at the Kerala Cricket League ahead of the tournament’s second season. The move is a significant one for the stumper-batter, who was omitted from the Kerala squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 due to a contentious absence from the preparatory camp before of the 50-over local competition.

Kochi Blue Tigers signed Sanju for a staggering INR 26.80 lakh. His basic fee was only INR 3 lakh, but given his years of experience in international cricket and the Indian Premier League, bidders jumped at the chance to hire the seasoned campaigner. Notably, the athletic wicketkeeper-batter did not participate in the tournament’s debut edition due to commitments with the Indian national team.

“Sanju Samson has been playing nonstop cricket from March to July.

Two months of IPL and the T20 World Cup have been tough. Even after the T20 World Cup, he was a member of the Indian T20 teams that visited Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. As a result, Sanju asked KCA (Kerala Cricket Association) officials for a break. His name was also not featured in the player auction,” KCA officials had earlier alerted about his absence, according to the Indian Express.

Apart from Samson, Vishnu Vinod was the second-most expensive player after Samson, when he was signed by the Aries Kollam franchise for a whopping INR 13.8 lakh. Notably, Vishnu Vinod has played for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals, and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League over the years.

Furthermore, Jalaj Saxena, an experienced all-rounder and domestic cricket hero, will play for Alleppey Ripples after being traded for INR 12.4 lakh. The schedule for the second season and additional information are presently pending and will be issued by the organisers in due course.