Sanju Samson has been in red-hot form in the Kerala Cricket League ever since being promoted as an opener for the Kochi Blue Tigers. After a scratchy 13 off 22 balls at No. 6 against the Alleppey Ripples on August 23, Samson turned his fortunes around with a blistering century in the very next game against the Aries Kollam Sailors.

On Tuesday, the Kerala star continued his purple patch, hammering 89 off just 46 deliveries against the Thrissur Titans. His innings featured a remarkable sequence in the fifth over bowled by Sijomon Joseph, where he collected 13 runs off a single legal ball—smashing a no-ball delivery for six and then depositing the free-hit for another maximum over extra cover. Samson’s fireworks powered Kochi Blue Tigers to 188/7 in 20 overs, though Ajinas K impressed for Thrissur with figures of 5/30, including Samson’s prized wicket. Watch the video below:

Samson’s red-hot performances underscore his value—unsurprising, given that he became the most expensive player in KCL history, purchased for ₹26.8 lakh in July’s auction following an intense bidding war. The wicketkeeper-batter had skipped the previous edition due to his demanding international schedule, including the IPL, T20 World Cup, and India’s tours of Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

His current form, however, raises bigger questions about his role in India’s upcoming Asia Cup campaign. With Shubman Gill returning as vice-captain and expected to reclaim the opener’s role, Samson’s place in the XI could be under threat. Yet, his record as a T20I opener in 2024 is hard to ignore—three centuries in just five innings against Bangladesh and South Africa, 436 runs in 12 innings overall at an average of 43.60 and a blistering strike rate of 180.16.

Samson’s explosive KCL performances have sent a timely reminder: he is more than capable of owning the opener’s slot at the international level.