By Prasad Mohapatra
Indian cricketer Sanju Samson was signed by Kochi Blue Tigers on Saturday for the second edition of the Kerala Premier League KPL. Samson who captained the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League IPL earlier this year was acquired for Rs 26.80 lakh making him the most expensive player in KPL history.
Each team in the tournament has a spending cap of Rs 50 lakh. The second season of the KPL is scheduled to take place from August 21 to September 6.
Although India has no T20I matches lined up during that window Samson might miss most of the KPL season if he gets selected for the Duleep Trophy which begins on August 28.
Samsonrsquos IPL 2025 campaign was affected by injuries causing him to miss five matches. His absence was keenly felt as the Royals failed to secure a playoff spot. Reports suggest that at least six RR players have received trade interest from other franchises. While the team has not revealed any names one of the most sought-after players is likely to be their longtime captain Sanju Samson. It remains unclear whether Samson and RR will decide to part ways but the Royals do have a capable alternative in Dhruv Jurel.
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Two franchises in particular are in need of a strong wicketkeeper-batter. Chennai Super Kings may be seeking a successor to their icon player MS Dhoni who will be nearing 45 when the next IPL season begins. Kolkata Knight Riders could also be in the market as they are unlikely to place full confidence in Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz for the entire tournament.