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Sanju Samson named in Kerala's Squad for Vijay Hazare Trophy; Rohan Kunnummal to lead

Sakshi Sharma

Sanju Samson (Source: AFP)Sanju Samson (Source: AFP)

In a significant development, the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has officially announced a strong 19-member squad for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2025–26. Rohan Kunnummal has been named as the captain of the team. One of the most talked-about points about the squad is the inclusion of Sanju Samson.

The star player, who has been part of India’s T20 setup recently, will turn out for Kerala in the Vijay Hazare Trophy as the team looks to bounce back after disappointing performances in other domestic tournaments this season.

Kerala had a tough Ranji Trophy campaign and failed to progress beyond the group stage in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. With VHT 2025-26 coming up next, the team will be hoping for a fresh start.

The Kerala squad features a good mix of experience and youth. Along with Sanju Samson, notable names like Vishnu Vinod, Mohammad Azharuddeen, Salman Nizar, and MD Nidheesh are also named in the squad. At the same time, young talents who impressed in the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) have also been rewarded.

One exciting inclusion is Vignesh Puthur, a young spinner from Kerala who caught attention with his performances in the IPL. He was recently picked up by the Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2026. 

Kerala's schedule in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26

Kerala have been placed in Group E, which includes teams like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Tripura, and Pondicherry. The team will begin their campaign against Tripura on December 24, 2025.

All of Kerala’s Vijay Hazare Trophy matches will be played in Ahmedabad, with the tournament running from December 24 to January 8. 

This year’s edition of the tournament is expected to draw extra attention, as Indian stars such as Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant have been asked to play domestic cricket regularly.

Kerala squad for Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26

Rohan Kunnummal (Captain), Sanju Samson, Vishnu Vinod (Wicketkeeper), Mohammad Azharuddeen (Wicketkeeper), Ahammed Imran, Salman Nizar, Abhishek J. Nair, Krishna Prasad, Akhil Scaria, Abhijith Praveen V, Biju Narayanan, Ankit Sharma, Baba Aparajith, Vignesh Puthur, Nidheesh MD, Asif KM, Abhishek P. Nair, Sharafudheen NM, Edhen Apple Tom