In a ground-breaking development, Kerala batter and Rajasthan Royals’ captain Sanju Samson hogged the headlines by becoming the most expensive player to be purchased in the history of Kerala Premier League. Samson was acquired by the Kochi Blue Tigers franchise for a whopping INR 26.80 Lakhs. This development comes amid rumors of him parting ways with RR to join the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). 

As per emerging reports, various franchises expressed their interestest in securing the services of the flamboyant wicketkeeper batter following the conclusion of IPL 2025. However, Samson has yet to make up his mind and has not publicly issued any statement on this evolving story.  

In the auction, Sampson broke all barriers as he went past the previous record of M.S. Akhil, who was bought for an amount of INR 7.4 lakh by Trivandrum Royals. 

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Here is how the bidding war unfolded in the KCL 2025 auction

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐁𝐔𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍! 💸🔥

Sanju Samson – international icon, IPL star, Ranji powerhouse is sold to Kochi Blue Tigers for ₹26.8L! The roar just got louder 🐅💙#KCL2025 #KCLSeason2 pic.twitter.com/gU9I96emkz

— Kerala Cricket League (@KCL_t20) July 5, 2025

Sanju Samson was listed at a base price of INR 3 lakh. But as the bidding war gathered pace, his price shot up to INR 5 lakh and then INR 10 lakh in a matter of moments. The bidding war came to an end eventually when the Kochi Blue Tigers spent more than half of their INR 50 lakh purse value on the India wicket-keeper's signing.

Samson is now all set to make his maiden appearance in the second edition of the KCL. Previously, in light of his international duties, Samson had requested a break and skipped the inaugural edition of the KCL despite being announced as its brand ambassador. However, this recent development now marks Samson's first high-profile participation in a tournament managed by the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) following his controversial exclusion from the Vijay Hazare Trophy team in December 2024, which occurred after he did not attend a preparatory camp conducted in Wayanad.

Ultimately, Kerala advanced to the Ranji Trophy final for the first time ever, concluding the tournament as runners-up to Vidarbha.

In a major boost for Kerala cricket, Indian wicketkeeper-batter and Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson is confirmed to play in the upcoming season of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL). The news was confirmed by Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) governing council chairman Nazir Machan, who told Sportstar on Monday that Samson has officially signed up for the KCL player auction, scheduled to take place on July 5.

Samson, who served only as the brand ambassador for the league during its inaugural season in 2024, will now be seen on the field, representing his home state. He enters the player auction in the elite Category A, which features 39 top players, including Kerala Ranji Trophy captain Sachin Baby and promising IPL talent Vignesh Puthur.

According to a KCA source cited in Sportstar, “The wicketkeeper batter has registered for the KCL auction, declaring his willingness to participate in the franchise league, which is expected to take place ahead of the next Indian Premier League (IPL) season.” Samson’s participation is set to elevate the league’s popularity and draw wider attention.

KCL Auction Rules and Samson’s Comeback Opportunity

Sanju Samson had a tough 2025 IPL season marred with injuries, starting with a fractured finger, then a stomach issue impacted his performance and pushed him down in the batting order. He only managed to finish the season with 285 runs in nine matches with one fifty, averaging 35.62 and a strike rate of 140.39. The KCL will serve as an important platform for him to regain form and fitness.

Sanju Samson to play the upcoming season of Kerala Cricket League

He has been included in the players list for the next KCL auction

This just confirms that he’s not moving away from KCA even after all the disrespects he faced pic.twitter.com/nEycFz05di

— Sanju Samson Fans Page (@SanjuSamsonFP) June 23, 2025

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As per KCA auction guidelines, each team can retain up to four players—three of whom may be capped. Teams opting out of retentions will be granted a Right-To-Match (RTM) card during the auction. The player retention deadline is June 30, 5 PM IST. Each franchise will have a Rs. 50 lakh auction purse and must form squads of 16–20 players. Defending champions Aries Kollam Sailors will look to defend their crown, having defeated Calicut Globstars in last year’s final.