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The Federal Bank Kerala Cricket League returns for its third season on 20 August, and this year’s edition arrives with a reshaped set of squads, a headline absence, and three franchises still to name a captain on the eve of the tournament.
Season 3 runs for 17 days, from 20 August to 5 September 2026, with every match played at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. Here is a full look at the six teams, how they were assembled, and what each side is working with.
KCL 2026 Teams and Tournament Format
Six franchises play a double round robin, meaning every team faces the other five twice across the league stage. The top four on the points table advance to the playoffs, with the first semi final matching first against fourth and the second semi final pitting second against third. The final is on 5 September.
Calicut Globstars and Thrissur Titans open the tournament at 2:30 PM on 20 August. Defending champions Kochi Blue Tigers begin their title defence against Aries Kollam Sailors at 7:30 PM the same evening.
The Auction That Shaped the Season
The KCL 2026 auction took place on 11 July in Thiruvananthapuram, and it set the tone for the season in more ways than one.
A total of 173 players registered. The six franchises retained 17 of them before bidding began, leaving 156 in the pool. Of those, 89 found buyers and the rest went unsold. Each franchise operated with a purse of 50 lakh rupees and had to build a squad of between 16 and 20 players.
Sibin Gireesh was the costliest acquisition of the day, going to Alleppey Ripples for 11.80 lakh. Krishna Devan followed close behind, picked up by Calicut Globstars for 11.20 lakh, and veteran Sachin Baby became the third most expensive buy when Alleppey Ripples secured him for 10 lakh.
Sanju Samson and the KCL 2026 Teams
The biggest story of the auction was who was not in it.
Sanju Samson, the India wicketkeeper batter and the most expensive player in KCL history after Kochi Blue Tigers paid 26.8 lakh for him last season, was released by the franchise and has opted out of Season 3 entirely, citing personal reasons.
Rather than lose him from the tournament altogether, the Kerala Cricket Association has named Samson the official icon of the league. He is set to headline the team launch event, where the franchises, captains, coaches and support staff are formally unveiled.
It is a notable loss on the field. Samson’s presence last season gave the KCL a real international drawcard, and his absence puts more weight on the emerging Kerala players the league was built to showcase.
Kochi Blue Tigers
The defending champions have kept things stable. Saly Samson retains the captaincy after leading the side to the Season 2 title, with fast bowler Basil Thampi named vice captain.
There is a neat symmetry to that appointment. Thampi captained Kochi in the inaugural season before moving to Trivandrum Royals last year, and now returns to a leadership role at his original franchise.
The squad includes Mohammed Ashiq, Asif KM, Alfi Francis John, Sachin Suresh, Jerin PS, Vinoop Manoharan, Midhun PK, Vipul Shakti, Karthik B Nair, Anish Rajan, Jobin Joby, Muhammed Shanu, Manu Krishnan, Eden Apple Tom, Anandhu Sunil, Akshay Chandran and Adhi Abhilash.
Kochi go into the season as the team to beat, though they do so without Samson’s runs.
Calicut Globstars
Calicut reached the semi finals last season before losing to Kochi Blue Tigers, and they have invested in the batting for another push.
Krishna Devan was their marquee buy at 11.20 lakh, the second costliest of the auction. He joins a top order featuring Salman Nizar and Rohan S Kunnummal, both established Kerala players, with Kunnummal having captained the side in Season 2.
The most recognisable name in the squad is Vignesh Puthur, the left arm wrist spinner who broke through with Mumbai Indians in the IPL. He gives Calicut a bowler with proven higher level pedigree.
Full squad: Salman Nizar, Rohan S Kunnummal, Akhil Scaria, Harikrishnan MU, Abdul Bazith, Akhin Sathar, Varun Nayanar, Athif Bin Ashraf, Rahan Raheem, Ibnul Afthab, Afrad Nazar, Krishna Devan, Aravind KS, Mohammed Kaif, Vignesh Puthur, Aswin Anand.
Calicut are among the three franchises yet to confirm a captain for Season 3, though Kunnummal is the obvious choice to carry on.
Thrissur Titans
Thrissur endured a brutal end to last season, bowled out for 86 in the first semi final and beaten by Aries Kollam Sailors inside 10 overs.
They also head into Season 3 without a confirmed captain, and unlike Calicut they cannot simply carry on with the same man. Sijomon Joseph, who led the side in Season 2, is not part of the current squad, so Thrissur will definitely have new leadership.
Ahammad Imran, Shoun Roger, Aditya Vinod and AK Arjun were among their retentions. The full squad also includes Biju Narayanan, Nikhil Thottath, Asif Salam, MS Akhil, Abdul Ramees P, Muhammed Irshad, Rohith KR, Nazal P, Sanjeev Satheeshan, Prasoon Prasad, Anand Joseph, Mohamed Enaan, Manav Krishna, Sarath Chandra Prasad, Sharon SS and Amay Manoj.
Alleppey Ripples
Alleppey were the most aggressive bidders at the auction, landing both the costliest player of the day in Sibin Gireesh at 11.80 lakh and the third costliest in Sachin Baby at 10 lakh.
Sachin Baby is a significant pickup. The experienced Kerala batter captained Aries Kollam Sailors in Season 2, so Alleppey have brought in a player with recent leadership experience alongside their headline signing.
Aries Kollam Sailors
Kollam reached the semi finals last season and beat Thrissur Titans comprehensively to get there. They are the third franchise still to confirm a captain, a decision complicated by Sachin Baby’s move to Alleppey Ripples.
Among their squad are NM Sharafuddeen, Abhishek J Nair, Pawan Raj and Vijay Viswanath.
Adani Trivandrum Royals
Trivandrum play at what is effectively their home ground, with all KCL matches staged at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. Krishna Prasad captained the side in Season 2, and their squad includes Govind Dev Pai among the retained players.
Ownership and Branding
Every KCL franchise is privately owned and carries a title partner in its official name, which is why the teams appear as Aries Kollam Sailors, Adani Trivandrum Royals and Finesse Thrissur Titans in full. The league itself runs under the Federal Bank Kerala Cricket League banner, with Federal Bank as overall title sponsor.
That commercial structure has been one of the KCL’s quieter successes. The Kerala Cricket Association has pointed to the league’s role in giving emerging players a platform that raises their profile and their market value, which is the underlying purpose of a state T20 competition of this kind.
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What to Watch
With Samson out, the KCL’s appeal this season rests on the Kerala players who have used it as a springboard. Vignesh Puthur is the clearest example of the pathway working, having gone from state cricket to an IPL contract.
The three unannounced captaincies also add real intrigue to the opening weekend. Thrissur in particular face a fresh start, having lost both their Season 2 captain and any momentum from a campaign that ended in an 86 all out collapse.
The tournament begins on 20 August and runs to the final on 5 September, with all 33 matches at the Greenfield International Stadium.