Sanju Samson has been excluded from Kerala’s squad for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy. Reports suggest that he missed the preparatory camp before the tournament, leading to his omission from the squad. Notably, Samson recently captained Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25, where the team failed to qualify for the knockouts despite winning four of their six matches.
According to ESPNcricinfo, Samson had written to the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA), explaining his unavailability for the camp. However, the KCA adhered to its policy of selecting only those players who participated in the preparatory camp. Following Sachin Baby’s injury during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25, batsman Salman Nizar has been named captain for the upcoming 50-over domestic tournament.
KCA Secretary Vinod S Kumar told The Indian Express, “Sanju sent an email stating his unavailability for the camp. The team conducted a short camp in Wayanad without him. Naturally, we considered only those who attended the sessions for selection. There has been no further discussion with him regarding this matter.”
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Kerala Team: Salman Nizar (captain), Rohan Kunnummal, Shaun Roger, Mohammed Azharuddeen (wicketkeeper), Anand Krishnan, Krishna Prasad, Jalaj Saxena, Aditya Sarwate, Sijomon Joseph, Basil Thampi, Basil NP, Nidhish MD, Edhen Apple Tom, Sharafudheen, Akhil Scaria, Vishweshwar Suresh, Vaisakh Chandran, Ajnas M (wicketkeeper).
Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has confirmed that senior batsman Manish Pandey will not feature in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, as the association has decided to focus on giving opportunities to younger players.
KSCA selection committee chairman J Abhiram told ESPNcricinfo, “As an association, we have realized the need to move forward and bring in fresh talent instead of relying on older players. We cannot live in the glory of the past.”