Sanju Samson, an Indian cricket player, has joined Malappuram FC as a co-owner of the Kerala Super League team. The news was released by the club on Monday, September 9.
The Indian cricketer Sanju Samson has ventured outside of cricket and into the world of business. He now shares ownership of Malappuram FC, a football team that plays in the Kerala Super League (KSL). Known for his skill on the field, the captain of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) is now assuming a new role in team ownership.
During Malappuram FC’s historic maiden victory—a 2-1 triumph over Forca Kochi in an away game at Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium—the announcement was made on Monday, September 9. The Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium, popularly known as the Payyanad Stadium, can accommodate 30,000 spectators for home games for the squad, which is headquartered in the Malappuram district.
Samson becomes part of an ownership group that also includes Baby Neelambra, Dr. Anvar Ameen Chelat, and VA Ajmal Bismi.
The six-team Kerala Super League is entering its first season this year. The KSL signifies a growing interest in local football talent and growth even though it is not a part of India’s primary football framework, which also includes the Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League.
Will Sanju Samson participate in games against Bangladesh?
After Ishan Kishan’s injury prevented him from playing in the first round of the 2024 Duleep Trophy, Sanju Samson was called up at the last minute to the India D squad. As a result, he is now competing in the competition. Samson was included late in the game between India D and India C, but he was not included in the playing XI; instead, KS Bharat was chosen to be the wicketkeeper.
Even though Samson hasn’t played a major role in India’s ambitions for Test cricket, he still plays for the white-ball team. He was left out of India’s ODI team for the series against Sri Lanka, but he was included in the T20I team and took part in the Zimbabwe tour. Though he did not participate in any of the games, Samson was notably a member of the Indian team that won the 2024 T20 World Cup.
He struggled in the series against Sri Lanka, getting out for ducks in both games, so it’s unclear if he’ll make the squad for the home T20I series against Bangladesh next month.