The inaugural Kerala Cricket League (KCL) is set to kick off on September 2, with the final scheduled for September 19 at the Greenfield International Stadium. However, Kerala’s biggest cricket star, Sanju Samson, will not participate in the first edition of the league. The auction for KCL 2024 took place on August 10, where 114 players were selected by six franchises.
Key Points:
- Sanju Samson’s Absence:
- Sanju Samson opted out of the KCL 2024 auction, likely to focus on the upcoming domestic season.
- The KCL season begins just three days before the Duleep Trophy, which could be crucial for Samson as he aims to secure a spot in India’s Test squad.
- Auction Highlights:
- A total of 168 players were up for grabs, with 114 being bought by six franchises.
- The most expensive buy was all-rounder MS Akhil, who was picked up by Trivandrum Royals for Rs 7.4 lakh.
- Top Buys:
- MS Akhil (Trivandrum Royals): Rs 7.4 lakh
- Varun Nayanar (Thrissur Titans): Rs 7.2 lakh
- Manu Krishan (Kochi Blue Tigers): Rs 7 lakh
- Salman Nizar (Calicut Globstars): Rs 7 lakh
- M Ajinas (Calicut Globstars): Rs 6.2 lakh
- Krishna Prasad (Alleppey Ripples): Rs 6.2 lakh
- KM Asif (Kollam Sailors): Rs 5.2 lakh
- Vinod Kumar C V (Trivandrum Royals): Rs 5 lakh
- Akshay Chandran (Alleppey Ripples): Rs 5 lakh
- Nikhil M (Calicut Globstars): Rs 4.6 lakh
Player Categories:
- Category A: IPL or Ranji Trophy players, base price Rs 2 lakh.
- Category B: C K Naidu, U-23, U-19 State, and U-19 Challengers players, base price Rs 1 lakh.
- Category C: U-16 state players, university players, and club cricketers, base price Rs 50,000.
Icon Players:
Before the auction, each franchise selected one icon player:
- Trivandrum Royals: Abdul Basith
- Kollam Sailors: Sachin Baby
- Alleppey Ripples: Mohammed Azharuddeen
- Kochi Blue Tigers: Basil Thampi
- Thrissur Titans: Vishnu Vinod
- Calicut Globstars: Rohan Kunnummal
The KCL 2024 auction has set the stage for an exciting inaugural season, even without the participation of Sanju Samson. With top local talent ready to shine, fans can look forward to some thrilling cricket action starting September 2.
