Most Expensive KCL Player: IPL’s Next 20 Cr Man? – M9.news

Sanju Samson is back in the news, but not for a century or a big IPL knock. Instead, he’s made history in his home state by becoming the most expensive player in Kerala Cricket League (KCL) history.
At the KCL auction for its second season, Kochi Blue Tigers signed Samson for ₹26.8 lakh, a record-breaking amount that sent shockwaves through the domestic cricket circuit.
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The deal didn’t just make news in Kerala it made people across the country ask: is Sanju Samson building up for a massive IPL auction moment?
Samson had a base price of ₹3 lakh, but that didn’t last long. The bidding jumped to ₹5 lakh, then ₹10 lakh, and kept climbing until Kochi Blue Tigers secured him at ₹26.8 lakh spending over half of their ₹50 lakh purse.
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This broke the earlier KCL record of ₹7.4 lakh held by M.S. Akhil. And while KCL is a state-level league, this kind of buzz is rare especially for a local auction. Clearly, Sanju’s name still carries weight.
This will be Sanju’s first time playing in the KCL. Despite being the brand ambassador last year, he skipped the inaugural edition to focus on international cricket.
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And what a year it was. He became the first Indian to score three T20I centuries in a single calendar year, with tons against Bangladesh and South Africa.
He also had a decent IPL 2025 season, scoring 285 runs in 9 innings for Rajasthan Royals.
That form combined with his stardom is now creating buzz that goes beyond state leagues.
With the next IPL mega auction around the corner, the big question is whether Sanju Samson could be one of the most expensive picks maybe even the biggest.
One team that may look closely is Chennai Super Kings. With MS Dhoni likely to retire, CSK will need a solid Indian leader.
Samson, who brings experience, calmness and a strong batting record, could be the man.
He plays spin well which suits Chepauk’s slow tracks and his leadership at Rajasthan Royals shows he’s ready to take charge.
CSK might just see him as a player worth building around for the next few years.Not just CSK. Delhi Capitals might look if Faf focuses only on batting.
Lucknow are still looking for a batsman. Even Sunrisers Hyderabad who are looking to rebuild with Indian talent might see value in Samson. The KCL auction has just given us a hint.
This KCL signing is a personal comeback for Samson. Just a few months ago he was dropped from Kerala’s Vijay Hazare Trophy squad for not attending a training camp. Now he’s back as the top star of the league.
That journey from being dropped by his state board to being the face of their league adds to his story. And if this continues Sanju might just be heading to his biggest moment.
Sanju Samson’s ₹26.8 lakh KCL signing is more than numbers. It shows how strong his brand is, how consistent his T20 form has been and how teams from local leagues to IPL franchises still see him as a match-winner.




One thing is for sure: Sanju Samson is back in demand and the IPL 2026 auction might just be the stage where he becomes the most expensive player yet.

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