India cricketer Sanju Samson has become the co-owner of the Kerala Super League club, Malappuram FC. The club made the announcement on Monday, September 9.
Sanju Samson (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Sep 9, 2024 23:28 IST
Indian cricketer Sanju Samson has expanded his horizons beyond cricket, stepping into the business side of sports by becoming a co-owner of Malappuram FC, a football team competing in the Kerala Super League (KSL). The Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain, renowned for his on-field prowess, is now taking on a new role in team ownership.
The announcement, made on Monday (September 9), comes on the heels of Malappuram FC's historic first win, a 2-1 victory over Forca Kochi in an away match at Kochi's Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium. The team, based in the Malappuram district, plays its home games at the Payyanad Stadium, also known as the Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 30,000.
Samson joins an ownership group that includes VA Ajmal Bismi, Dr. Anvar Ameen Chelat, and Baby Neelambra.
This year marks the inaugural season of the Kerala Super League, a six-team competition. While the KSL is not part of India's main football framework, which includes the Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League, it represents a growing interest in local football talent and development.
Will Sanju Samson be part of Bangladesh matches?
Sanju Samson is currently participating in the 2024 Duleep Trophy after receiving a last-minute call-up to the India D squad following Ishan Kishan's injury, which ruled him out of the first round. Despite the late inclusion, Samson did not make the playing XI in India D's match against India C, with KS Bharat being selected as the wicketkeeper.
Although Samson hasn't been a key figure in India's Test cricket plans, he remains involved with the white-ball squad. He was omitted from India's ODI squad for the series against Sri Lanka but featured in the T20I series and also participated in the tour of Zimbabwe. Notably, Samson was part of India's 2024 T20 World Cup-winning squad, though he didn’t play in any of the matches.
However, his place in the squad for the upcoming home T20I series against Bangladesh next month is uncertain, as he struggled in the series against Sri Lanka, being dismissed for ducks in both matches.
Published On:
Sep 9, 2024
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