Sanju Samson, the captain of Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has now created history in the Kerala Cricket League (KCL). On July 5 (Saturday), he was bought by the Kochi Blue Tigers for a record-breaking INR 26.80 lakh, making him the most expensive player in the history of the tournament, as reported by Mathrubhumi.com.
This marks Samson’s debut in the KCL, and the Blue Tigers have made a major investment by spending more than half of their INR 50 lakh purse to bring the wicketkeeper-batter into their squad.
Kochi Blue Tigers Place Big Bet on Sanju Samson
Each KCL team is allowed to spend up to INR 50 lakh and select between 16 to 20 players during the auction. The Kochi Blue Tigers’ bold move to spend over INR 26 lakh on just one player shows their serious intent to win the title this season.
Until now, MS Akhil held the record as the most expensive player, having been picked up by Trivandrum Royals for INR 7.40 lakh last year. However, even Akhil saw a price rise this season, with Aries Kollam Sailors securing his services for INR 8.40 lakh.
KCL 2025 Auction in Full Swing
The auction is currently taking place in Trivandrum, with veteran sports presenter Charu Sharma—who has also hosted IPL auctions—serving as the auctioneer for the KCL.
The Kerala Cricket League 2025 season will feature six teams and will be held from August 21 to September 6. Aries Kollam Sailors, who won the inaugural edition last year, will be looking to defend their title against some strong competition, now including a star-studded Kochi Blue Tigers side featuring Sanju Samson.
With Samson’s arrival and other high-profile signings, the excitement and quality of the upcoming KCL season are set to reach new heights.
