Sanju Samson has created history by becoming the highest-priced player ever in the Kerala Cricket League (KCL). The India opener was snapped up by the Kochi Blue Tigers for Rs 26.8 lakh at the recent KCL auction, making him the league’s most expensive signing to date.
A total of 156 players, including several with IPL experience, were up for grabs in the auction. Among the six participating franchises, Kochi held the largest purse of ₹50 lakh and spent over half of it on Samson. His acquisition shattered the previous record of Rs 7.4 lakh set by Trivandrum Royals for M.S. Akhil.
This will be Samson’s first KCL appearance, having missed the inaugural edition due to international duty. It also marks his return to domestic cricket under the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) umbrella following his omission from the Vijay Hazare Trophy squad.
At the time, the KCA stated that Samson had skipped a mandatory preparatory camp, while the player maintained he had informed the board in advance and requested leave.
Samson had to sit out parts of the IPL 2025 season due to a finger injury and a side strain.
There are still doubts lingering over India’s tour of Bangladesh, which was scheduled for August, and the Asia Cup, set to take place in September. Samson did not feature in the Champions Trophy but he remains an integral part of the T20I squad. If the three-match T20I series in Bangladesh does not go as planned, Samson will next feature in the KCL.
The second season of the KCL will be held between 21 August and 6 September.