Mon Oct 14 09:02:00 UTC 2024: ## Sanju Samson to miss Kerala’s Ranji opener, return for second game
**Thiruvananthapuram:** Sanju Samson, who is currently playing for India in the ongoing T20 series against Bangladesh, will miss Kerala’s opening match in the Ranji Trophy. He will return to the team for their second match, according to sources.
Samson has been in impressive form, particularly during the recently concluded Duleep Trophy, where he scored 196 runs at an average of 49.00 and a strike rate of 95.60.
The Kerala team, under the captaincy of Sachin Baby, will face Punjab in their first match on October 11th. Samson will be available for the team’s second match against Karnataka, scheduled for October 18th at the KSCA Cricket Ground 2.
Kerala’s Ranji Trophy campaign begins on October 11th and ends on January 30th, with the knockouts commencing on February 8th. The final is slated for February 26th.
Kerala, placed in Elite Group C, is aiming for their first Ranji Trophy title. They face strong competition from teams like Karnataka and Bengal.
In the previous season, Kerala finished fourth in Elite Group B. The team will be looking to make a strong start to the new season and go beyond the group stage this time around.
First Piper 