Kerala and Karnataka Reshuffle

Kerala’s decision to exclude Sanju Samson from their Vijay Hazare Trophy squad has stirred discussions ahead of the tournament starting December 21. The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) decided to limit participation to players who attended the preparatory camp, a policy that left Samson sidelined. Despite being part of the 30-member probable list, the former captain is notably absent from the final 19-member squad.

Samson had led Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024-25, where they narrowly missed the knockout stage with four wins from six matches. However, sources suggest that Samson informed the KCA about his unavailability for the camp, prompting the selectors to adhere to their guidelines. With senior batter Sachin Baby also ruled out due to injury, Salman Nizar has been entrusted with leading the side for the 50-over tournament. Samson, who recently showcased his skills with two T20I centuries against South Africa, contributed 135 runs in five SMAT games, including a half-century.

Kerala Squad

Salman Nizar (captain), Rohan Kunnummal, Shoun Roger, Mohammed Azharuddeen (wk), Anand Krishnan, Krishna Prasad, Jalaj Saxena, Aditya Sarwate, Sijomon Joseph, Basil Thampi, Basil NP, Nidheesh MD, Eden Apple Tom, Sharafuddeen, Akhil Scaria, Vishweshwar Suresh, Vaishak Chandran, Ajnas M (wk).

Veterans Out, Youth In

Meanwhile, Karnataka cricket is undergoing a generational shift. Senior batter Manish Pandey has been dropped from the squad as the team looks to revitalise its lineup. Karnataka’s selectors, led by J. Abhiram, have stated their intent to move past seasoned players in favour of emerging talent.

Pandey’s recent form has been underwhelming, with just 117 runs in five innings during SMAT and a lone half-century in six Ranji Trophy innings. The selectors have confirmed that he won’t feature in the latter half of the ongoing Ranji season. Pandey’s exclusion could mark the end of a celebrated career with Karnataka, which includes two Ranji Trophy titles (2013-14 and 2014-15) and leadership of back-to-back SMAT triumphs in 2018-19 and 2019-20. Over his career, Pandey amassed nearly 8,000 first-class runs at an average of 50.78, complemented by over 13,000 white-ball runs.

The shift also saw other notable changes. Allrounder K. Gowtham has been overlooked since 2022-23, despite strong club performances. Opener R. Samarth has moved to Uttarakhand to secure more opportunities across formats, while leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal returned to Karnataka after a brief stint with Kerala.

The pressure is now on captain Mayank Agarwal and other senior players to deliver as Karnataka attempts to recapture its former dominance. “We believe in investing in young talent, just as we did during our golden era,” Abhiram stated.

Karnataka Squad

Mayank Agarwal (captain), Shreyas Gopal (vice-captain), S Nikin Jose, KV Aneesh, R Smaran, KL Shrijith, Abhinav Manohar, Hardik Raj, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Vasuki Koushik, Vidyadhar Patil, Kishan Bedare, Abhilash Shetty, Manoj Bhandage, Pravin Dubey, Luvnith Sisodia.