Samson a huge miss, but Kerala Cricket League braces for an eventful season

August is the month of festivities in Keralam and it is also the time when the cricket carnival arrives in the capital city.

The Kerala Cricket League (KCL), a project which began as a platform for the State cricketers to showcase their talent, enters an eventful third season and will kick off at the Sports Hub Greenfield stadium on Thursday when Calicut Globstars takes on Thrissur Titans.

The KCL will, however, face a challenge to attract spectators in the absence of its biggest star Sanju Samson, who will miss the entire competition due to prior commitments.

Almost all teams wear a revamped look and the sides starting on even footing will make the tournament interesting. But defending champion Kochi Blue Tigers has managed to keep hold of the key players who helped it win the title last season. Even without Samson, Tigers boast a balanced squad armed with several power hitters.

Aries Kollam Sailors has been the most consistent team in the league. But under new skipper Vatsal Govind, it faces a tough task of maintaining the high standards. Alleppey Ripples made a splash at the auction, splurging ₹11.80 lakh for Sibin Girish. The outfit also acquired Sachin Baby for ₹10 lakh and made him the skipper. After an underwhelming show in the first two editions, Ripples will hope to turn things around.

Titans will be banking on their young brigade to deliver the goods. All-rounder M.S. Akhil will lead the team, which will be looking to progress beyond the semifinals for the first time. Trivandrum Royals hasn’t been able to strike a chord with the fans after a tough time last season. But, a new-look squad under Krishna Prasad will eye a much-improved effort.

Globstars possess an array of match-winners, including captain Rohan S. Kunnummal, Salman Nizar, Krishna Devan and Abdul Basith. They have a history of choking in key games but with one of the better squads, they will be eager to arrest that trend.