Samson to play Ranji Trophy second round

Fresh off his scintillating 40-ball T20I century against Bangladesh in Hyderabad last week, Sanju Samson is set to turn up for Kerala for the second round of Ranji Trophy starting on October 18. ESPNcricinfo has learnt that Samson will continue to play the Ranji Trophy until national duty calls once again.

Samson won't lead Kerala though; Sachin Baby will continue to captain the side, as he did in the first round, in which Kerala registered an eight-wicket win against Punjab in Thumba. Kerala will now play an away fixture, against Karnataka in Alur. Karnataka will be without Prasidh Krishna, who is on reserves duty with the India squad that's playing New Zealand.

Samson had also played four games of the Ranji Trophy last season to score 177 runs with an average of 35.40 with a high score of 57. He had also featured in two Duleep Trophy matches to start this domestic season and scored 106, 45, 5 and 40.

Baby was the second-highest run-scorer overall last Ranji season with a tally of 830 runs to average 83 with four centuries and as many half-centuries.

Kerala had won just one game out of seven last season though, lost one and drew five to finish fourth in Group B and miss out on a knockout berth.