India T20I opener, Sanju Samson, joined a new team a month after the conclusion of IPL 2025. The India T20I opener will play for Kochi Blue Tigers in the second edition of the Kerala Premier League. Sanju etched his name in history books as he became the costliest-ever pick in the league's history. Sanju, who set his base price at Rs 3 lakh, was signed for a huge sum of Rs 26.80 lakh. A team is allowed to spend a sum of Rs 50 lakh.

Interestingly, Kochi ended up spending more than half of their purse on Sanju. The T20 league is scheduled to be played from August 21 to September 6. India aren't scheduled to play any T20I during this period.

Sanju could still miss the majority of the T20 league if he is named in any of the Duleep Trophy squads. The premier domestic red-ball tournament will kick off on August 28. Sanju was part India D in the previous year's tournament.

Kerala batsman, Vishnu Vinod, who has been part of IPL, joined Aries Kollam for Rs 13.8 lakh. Domestic cricket legend, Jalaj Saxena, was snared by Alleppey Ripples for Rs 12.4 lakh. He has played for India A.

Cricbuzz recently reported that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) would be open to signing Sanju Samson if he is available. Recently, social media was flooded with posts of Samson moving on from Rajasthan Royals to join CSK. It can only happen through trade before or after the IPL 2026 mini-auction.

"We are definitely looking at Sanju. He is an Indian batter, who is a keeper and an opener. So if he is available, we will certainly have a look at the option of having him in our fold. Who we will trade him with we have not taken that call because the matter has not gone that far. But yes, in principle, we are interested," a CSK official told Cricbuzz.

Samson first joined RR before IPL 2013 and stayed with them till 2015. RR re-signed him in the IPL 2018 mega-auction upon their return to the T20 league. Samson has been leading RR since IPL 2021.