Sanju Samson to lead Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27; check his stats ahead of the November 14 opener
Sanju Samson will lead Kerala in the 2026-27 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The senior wicketkeeper-batter has been appointed captain of an 18-member squad that begins its campaign against Madhya Pradesh on Saturday (November 14). The announcement came on the eve of Samson’s 32nd birthday. The opening match is scheduled at the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh, also known as the PCA Stadium.
Group C draw and the November 14 opener against Madhya Pradesh
Kerala have been placed in Elite Group C. Their opponents in the group stage are Madhya Pradesh, Andhra, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Puducherry and Tripura. The published squad confirms Sanju Samson as both captain and wicketkeeper. The side also includes red-ball captain Vishnu Vinod and former Kerala skipper Mohammed Azharuddeen. Opener Rohan Kunnummal returns, along with veteran spinner Jalaj Saxena, who had rejoined the setup ahead of the Ranji Trophy.
Ahammed Imran and Govind Dev D. Pai earned their places after strong showings in the Kerala Cricket League. The squad further features Vignesh Puthur, who has earlier appeared for Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, and KM Asif, a member of the Chennai Super Kings sides that lifted the IPL title in 2018 and 2021.
Looking at Sanju Samson’s stats
Sanju Samson captained Kerala in the previous edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The team finished fourth in Elite Group A and therefore missed out on the Super League stage. He scored 233 runs across six innings at a strike rate of 137.86, finishing as Kerala’s second-highest run-scorer behind Rohan Kunnummal. He completed the season with a highest score of 73 not out and two half-centuries.
Captaincy record in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Sanju Samson’s overall captaincy numbers for Kerala in the competition stand at 22 wins and 16 losses from 38 matches. In those games, he has scored 1,093 runs at an average of 37.68 and a strike rate of 139.76. His highest score as captain is 75, and he has registered 12 fifties in the role.
The combination of recent domestic form and a solid win-loss record as leader has led to his reappointment for the 2026-27 season. With the opener against Madhya Pradesh less than a week away, Sanju Samson’s dual responsibility as captain and primary wicketkeeper will be central to Kerala’s hopes of progressing from Group C.
