Sanju Samson to miss initial rounds of Vijay Hazare Trophy
What's the story
Indian wicket-keeper and former Kerala captain Sanju Samson has pulled out of the initial rounds of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The tournament will begin on December 21. His decision comes after he captained Kerala in the recently-concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament, where the team couldn't cross the group stage. Samson last played for India in the T20I series in South Africa.
Performance review
Samson's performance and future participation uncertain
Samson's performance in the recent South Africa T20I series was hit-or-miss, with two centuries and as many ducks to his name. He started the 2024/25 SMAT with a score of 75 against Services but could only manage 61 runs in his next four innings. Notably, a Kerala Cricket Association official confirmed that Samson "has opted out of the tournament for now," leaving his future participation uncertain.
Leadership change
Kerala name new captain for Vijay Hazare Trophy
In the absence of Samson, Kerala have named Salman Nizar as the new captain for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Notably, Sachin Baby is also out with injury. The team will be a part of Elite Group E, with matches scheduled to be held in Hyderabad. Bengal, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Baroda, and Bihar are the other teams in the group.
Information
Kerala's squad for VHT
Kerala squad for VHT: Salman Nizar (captain), Rohan Kunnummal, Shoun Roger, Anand Krishnan, Krishna Prasad, A Imran, Jalaj Saxena, A Sarvate, Sijomon J, Basil Thampi, Basil NP, Nidheesh MT, Edhen Tom, Sharafudeen, A Scaria, Vishweshwar, Vaisakh Chandran, and Ajnas M (wicket-keeper).