Sanju led Kerala in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy but was not considered for selection in the Vijay Hazare Trophy as he did not attend the team's three-day preparation camp in Wayanad.

The exclusion of Indian batsman Sanju Samson from Kerala's Vijay Hazare Trophy squad has raised eyebrows, especially after his solid performance in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Kerala have instead named a 19-man squad for the tournament beginning on December 21, with Salman Nizar named as captain. Prominent players like Sijomon Joseph, Basil Thampi and Mohammed Azharuddeen are part of the squad, but Samson's exclusion remains the most debated decision.

It is important to note that Samson, who led Kerala in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024, had informed the KCA of his unavailability. Under his astute leadership, Kerala finished third in Group E in the SMAT 2024. They narrowly missed out on a place in the knockout rounds as eventual champions Mumbai and Andhra progressed from the group.

"Sanju had sent an email stating that he was not available for the camp. The team had a short camp in Wayanad without him. Naturally, we considered only those who attended the meetings for selection. There was no further discussion with him on the matter," KCA secretary Vinod S. Kumar told.

Besides Samson, veteran batsman Sachin Baby was also not considered for selection after he sustained an injury during the SMAT season. "Sachin's recovery period is scheduled till December 21, after which we will decide whether to include him," Kumar said.