Sanju Samson, who was just appointed captain of Kerala, will lead the team in the first two Ranji Trophy 2023–24 matches. His deputy will be the exciting opener, Rohan Kunummal.
The comeback of Vishnu Vinod and the omission of spin-bowling all-rounder Sijomon Joseph are two of the selectors’ calculated decisions. In addition, Vishnu Raj, the team’s new wicketkeeper, gives the 16-man lineup a fresh perspective.
Experienced spin spinners Jalaj Saxena and Shreyas Gopal have been brought in as outstation pros, bringing skill and knowledge to the team. As the squad is ready to play in Elite Group B against teams like Mumbai, Bengal, Andhra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Bihar, the stakes are quite high.
With an outstanding 50 wickets under his belt, Jalaj Saxena was Kerala’s top wicket-taker in the previous Ranji Trophy season. The team’s fate is in Sanju Samson’s and his players’ hands as they try to qualify for the quarterfinals. The action is scheduled to start on January 5 against Uttar Pradesh in Alappuzha and continue on January 12 with a match against Assam in Guwahati.
With his brilliant century against South Africa in the last match of the three-match ODI series at Boland Park, Paarl, on December 21, Samson recently aroused conversations among cricket lovers. With an innings of 108 off 114 balls, six fours and three sixes, he led India nearly to 300 on a difficult batting surface. Samson deservedly won the title of man of the match for his outstanding effort.
The team from Kerala, captained by the vivacious Sanju Samson, consists of both seasoned players and rising stars, and they seem prepared for an exciting Ranji Trophy run. Samson is keen to continue playing well and captain his country’s team in the esteemed domestic cricket competition in India.
Kerala Unit:
Sanju Samson (c), Rohan Kunnummal (vc), Sachin Baby, Vishnu Vinod, Akshay Chandran, Shreyas Gopal, Jalaj Saxena, Vaishak Chandran, Basil Thampi, Vishweshwar A Suresh, M D Nidheesh, Basil N P, and Vishnu Raj (wk) Are all included.