KCL 2026 Auction: Sanju Samson to miss Kerala Cricket League as KCA reveal 156-player Auction List

The Kerala Cricket League (KCL) auction is set to take place on July 11 in Trivandrum. Ahead of that, a player pool for the auction has been officially unveiled, with 156 cricketers set to go under the hammer in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.

However, one of Kerala's biggest cricketing stars, Sanju Samson, will not be part of this year's auction. The India star played for Kochi Blue Tigers last season under the captaincy of his elder brother Saly Samson. Blue Tigers also won the KCL title last year and Sanju played a few matches in the early stages before taking off for Asia Cup.

But after not being retained by Kochi, it was almost clear that the India player wouldn't play any part this term, and now the updated auction list confirms that.

While Samson's absence is expected to disappoint fans, the auction still boasts a strong lineup of domestic talent spread across three categories: Pool A, Pool B and Pool C. The six franchises will complete their squads after retaining 17 players ahead of the auction.

Aries Kollam Sailors and Thrissur Titans have retained four players each, while Calicut Globstars and Trivandrum Royals have retained three players apiece. Kochi Blue Tigers have retained two players, whereas Alleppey Ripples have retained one. The remaining players will be picked during Saturday's auction.

KCL 2026 Auction

Pool A features 32 of the state's most experienced cricketers, each with a base price of ₹3 lakh. The category includes players who have represented teams in BCCI First-Class, List A, the IPL and India Under-19 competitions. Notable names in the top bracket include Sachin Baby, Vishnu Vinod, Basil Thampi and MD Nidheesh.

Pool B comprises 37 players with a base price of ₹1.5 lakh. This category includes several promising youngsters who have featured in the Under-19 and Under-23 circuits. Among the notable names are Aditya Baiju, Pawan Sridhar, Nikhil Thottath, Riya Basheer, Amay Manoj, Hrishikesh and Thomas Mathew.

Pool C, the largest category with 87 players, carries a base price of ₹75,000. It consists of performers from district, zonal and KCA tournaments, along with several players who impressed in the previous KCL season. Ajay Ghosh, Krishnadevan, Jobin Joby and Sanjeev Satheesan headline the list.

Each franchise can build a squad comprising a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 20 players. The total auction purse has been fixed at ₹50 lakh per team, with the amount spent on retained players deducted before the bidding begins.