The Kerala Cricket League (KCL) franchises have officially released their retention list ahead of the third season of the exciting tournament. However, the biggest surprise of the retentions is the release of star Indian batter Sanju Samson. The India wicketkeeper-batter, who represented Kochi Blue Tigers last season, has not been retained by any franchise ahead of the auction.
While there could be uncertainty regarding his availability, his release is very fascinating as Samson remains the biggest cricketing name associated with the league.
Sanju Samson-Rishabh Pant on same boat?
Unlike previous years, however, Samson’s release does not necessarily mean his KCL journey is over. In fact, it is pretty much similar to a situation that we saw recently in the Delhi Premier League (DPL), where Rishabh Pant was released by Purani Dilli 6 before eventually pulling out of the auction due to India’s international commitments.
The difference here is that KCL 2026 is scheduled from August 20 to September 5, a period during which India have no T20I assignments. Since Samson is currently part of only India’s T20I setup, his availability should’ve been there. We can understand for Pant that he is unavailable since Indian Test team are slated to play two Tests against Sri Lanka when the DPL will be on.
One possible factor for Samson’s release could be finances. Samson was bought for Rs 26.80 lakh last season, which is more than half of the auction purse of only Rs 50 lakh. By releasing him, Kochi have freed up more than 50 per cent of their budget and can now rebuild their squad. Former Kerala captain Sachin Baby is another notable name who has been released ahead of the new season.
KCL 2026 retained players
| Franchise | Retained Players |
|---|---|
| Aries Kollam Sailors | N.M. Sharafuddeen, Abhishek J. Nair, Pawan Raj, Vijay Viswanath |
| Thrissur Titans | Ahammad Imran, Shoun Roger, Aditya Vinod, A.K. Arjun |
| Calicut Globstars | Salman Nizar, Rohan S. Kunnummal, Akhil Scaria |
| Trivandrum Royals | Krishna Prasad, Govind Dev Pai, V. Ajith |
| Kochi Blue Tigers | Saly Samson (C), Mohammed Ashiq |
| Alleppey Ripples | Mohammed Azharuddeen |
Several franchises have retained the core that brought them success last season. Thrissur Titans kept Ahammad Imran, who smashed 437 runs in KCL 2025 and finished as the tournament’s second-highest run-getter. Calicut Globstars retained Salman Nizar, Rohan Kunnummal and Akhil Scaria, with the latter continuing as one of the league’s premier all-rounders.
Meanwhile, defending champions Kochi Blue Tigers have backed captain Saly Samson but surprisingly let go of the far more expensive Sanju Samson.
Is Sanju Samson still likely to play KCL 2026?
The answer is yes. Being released before the auction does not automatically mean Samson won’t feature in the tournament. Much like the DPL situation involving Pant, availability remains uncertain but isn’t ruled out.
If Samson confirms his participation, he could become the biggest attraction at the auction and once again potentially trigger a bidding war among all six franchises.
Which team did Sanju Samson play for in KCL?
Sanju Samson represented Kochi Blue Tigers in the previous edition of the Kerala Cricket League.
What was Sanju Samson’s KCL price?
Sanju Samson was signed for INR 26.80 lakh, making him the most expensive player in the league.
Can Sanju Samson still play KCL 2026?
Yes. Since he has been released and not retired from the league, Samson can enter the KCL 2026 auction and be picked by any of the six franchises. Moreover, India don’t have any T20I assignments as well when the KCL will be played (August 20 to September 5).
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