Kerala captain and star player Sanju Samson has been conspicuous by his absence in the inaugural edition of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL).
Sanju hails from Thiruvananthapuram and would have been the local franchise Trivandrum Royals' icon player. All-rounder and Rajasthan Royals player P A Abdul Basit has been named Royals' icon player and captain in Sanju's absence.
The KCL will be held at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram from September 2 to 18. Sanju's presence would have ensured huge spectator interest. Sanju, the lone Kerala player in the Indian team, is the tournament icon and had unveiled the official logo of the T20 tournament.
It has emerged that the wicketkeeper-batter pulled out of the league as he wanted to take a break after a long season.
"Sanju has been playing non-stop cricket from March till July. Two months of IPL plus T20 World Cup have been taxing. Even after the T20 World Cup, he was part of the Indian T20 teams which toured Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. Hence Sanju asked the KCA (Kerala Cricket Association) officials for a break. His name was not listed in the player auction too," said a source.
Sanju captained Rajasthan Royals to the playoffs in IPL 2024. He was also part of the Indian team which regained the T20 World Cup after a gap of 17 years this June.
Sanju wants to recharge his batteries ahead of a long season. Further, the Ranji Trophy begins on October 11. Kerala take on Punjab in their opening match. Most probably Sanju will be away on national duty in November with the Indian team slated to tour South Africa for a four-match T20I series.
