KCL 2026: Trivandrum Royals Eye Strong Comeback in KCL Season 3 With Revamped Squad

Trivandrum Royals are gearing up for the third season of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) with one clear objective - to make a strong comeback after a disappointing campaign last year.

Having identified the shortcomings from the previous season, the Royals have strengthened their squad with a better balance between batting, bowling and all-round options. The franchise will once again be led by Krishna Prasad, who was one of the standout performers in the previous edition.

Krishna Prasad to Lead the Charge

Krishna Prasad retained the captaincy after an outstanding individual campaign last season. The opener finished as the league's leading run-scorer with 479 runs, including a century.

However, the Royals struggled to find consistent contributions around their skipper, which ultimately restricted their progress. They have addressed that weakness by adding explosive batter Vishnu Vinod to the squad.

Vinod, who is part of the Punjab Kings setup in the IPL, has been among the consistent run-getters in domestic cricket and enjoyed impressive performances in competitions such as the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His arrival provides the Royals with an experienced and aggressive batting option at the top.

The middle order features dependable batters Govind Dev Pai and Akshay Manohar, while Sudheesh Mohan is another exciting option. Mohan recently made headlines in the NSK Trophy after smashing 87 from just 36 deliveries.

The Royals also possess depth behind the stumps, with wicketkeeper-batters Ujwal Krishna and Bharat Surya adding further flexibility to the batting unit.

Experience Meets Youth

The all-round department combines established names with emerging talent. The Royals have added experienced campaigners CV Vinod Kumar and former Kerala captain Sijomon Joseph, giving the team greater options with both bat and ball.

M Nikhil and Abhishek P Nair are among the other all-rounders in the squad. Nikhil was particularly impressive during the recent NSK Trophy, producing influential all-round performances.

Bowling Unit Looks Sharp

The Royals have also worked on strengthening their bowling attack.

Basil NP and Rahul Chandran are expected to spearhead the pace department, with Vinod Kumar and Srihari Nair providing additional options. The pace attack has the ability to make an impact during both the powerplay and death overs.

V Ajith and Sijomon Joseph add further variety, giving head coach Abhishek Mohan several combinations to work with depending on match conditions.

Coaching and Support Staff

Abhishek Mohan will serve as the head coach, assisted by Madan Mohan and Athul Diamond.

The support staff includes physiotherapist Varun SS, strength and conditioning coach Akhil Chinthu and team manager Sooraj Nair. The franchise is owned by Jose Pattara, S Pridarshan, Keerthy Suresh, Riyas Adam, Shibu Mathai, Tom Joseph and Saleel Gupta.

Trivandrum Royals Squad for KCL 2026

Krishna Prasad (Captain), Sijomon Joseph (Vice-Captain), Vishnu Vinod, Govind Dev Pai, Ajith Vasudevan, Abhishek P Nair, Vinod Kumar CV, Akshay Manohar, Nikhil M, Basil NP, Rahul Chandran, Sreehari Nair, Ajeesh K, Bharath Surya, Sudheesh Mohan, Ujwal Krishna.