We must defend the title – Sachin Baby
Sachin Baby, captain of the defending champions Aries Kollam Sailors, speaks about the Kerala Cricket League (KCL), his team’s preparations, and the experience of leading Kollam to their maiden title.
Hopes about KCL
Winning the trophy in the first year itself gave us confidence. In this season, the Kollam Sailors' aim is to win every single match. Kollam has a very balanced team which includes all-rounders, top-class batters, bowlers, and spinners.
Takeaways from the first season
Everyone had a chance to learn a lot from the first season. The matches were closely watched by Malayalis worldwide, and it proved to be a huge success. Even the BCCI appreciated the way the tournament was conducted.
KCL for young players
The KCL is providing one of the best opportunities for youngsters. I’ve been hearing about such a league since 2009, when I entered the Kerala team, but only now has it become a reality. Earlier, many senior players never got opportunities in tournaments like this. Now, the KCL has become one of the premier leagues in the country
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The reigning champions, Aries Kollam Sailors, are entering the second edition of the Kerala Cricket League with the aim of defending their title, relying on the strength of their all-rounders and batters.
The team was led by captain Sachin Baby, who finished as the team's top scorer with 528 runs and two hundreds in the previous season. Right behind him in the run charts were Abhishek J. Nair and Vathsal Govind, who secured the second and third positions, making the batting line-up look stronger this year as well. Through the auction, Kollam brought in Vishnu Vinod, who had scored 438 runs in the previous season.
All-rounders like Sharafudheen, Amal A.G., and M.S. Akhil are capable of turning matches in any situation. Young talent Eden Apple Tom will add strength to the bowling attack, while pacers Biju Narayanan, Jose Perayil, and Ajayaghosh provide quality pace options.
Former Ranji player and last season’s bowling coach, Monish Kareparambil, is the head coach for this season.