Ranji Trophy: Sanju Samson to miss initial matches for Kerala
Indian batter Sanju Samson, who is featuring in the Bangladesh T20I series, will not be available for the first two matches of the Ranji Trophy for Kerala. The decision comes as Samson is busy with international cricket. He is likely to feature in the 3rd T20I on October 12. Team officials confirmed that Samson will miss Kerala's opening games.
Sachin Baby to lead Kerala in Samson's absence
With Samson missing, Sachin Baby will lead Kerala in the impending Ranji Trophy. They will take on Punjab in the opening round on October 11. However, despite being busy with international duties, Samson will likely return to his domestic side for the red-ball tournament.
Samson's performance in ongoing T20I series
Samson's performance in the ongoing T20I series against Bangladesh has been modest, with 39 runs in two matches as an opener. However, he fared well in the Duleep Trophy, where he scored a First-Class century in a match between India D and India B. His exclusion from Kerala's Ranji Trophy squad is also due to the tight schedule between these matches.
Kerala's Ranji Trophy squad
Kerala's Ranji Trophy squad: Sachin Baby (captain), Rohan S Kunnummal, Krishna Prasad, Baba Aparajith, Akshay Chandran, Mohammad Azharuddeen, Salman Nizar, Vathsal Govind, Vishnu Vinod, Jalaj Saxena, A Anand Sarvate, Basil Thampi, Nidheesh MD, Asif KM, and Fazil Fanoos.
