The player auction for the third season of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) concluded on Sunday, with Sibin Girish emerging as the costliest player after being signed by Alleppey Ripples for Rs 11.80 lakh. The auction, held in Thiruvananthapuram, saw intense bidding across categories.
Sibin Girish Attracts Top Bid
Sibin, placed in Category C with a base price of Rs 75,000, drew significant interest following his strong performances in the previous KCL season and the recently concluded NSK Trophy. Alleppey Ripples outbid Calicut Globstars, Thrissur Titans, and Kochi Blue Tigers to secure his services, according to a press release.
Krishnadev and Sachin Baby Among Top Earners
Krishnadev was the second-highest bid of the auction, retained by Calicut Globstars for Rs 11.20 lakh. Veteran batter Sachin Baby was picked up by Alleppey Ripples for Rs 10 lakh. Among Category A players, Vishnu Vinod was signed by Trivandrum Royals for Rs 7.80 lakh, Nidheesh MD joined Kollam Sailors for Rs 6.60 lakh, and Basil Thampi was bought by Kochi Blue Tigers for Rs 5.40 lakh.
All-Rounders and Other Categories
In the all-rounders' category, Abdul Basid was signed by Calicut Globstars for Rs 8 lakh, while Abhijith Praveen joined Alleppey Ripples for Rs 6 lakh. Kollam Sailors secured M. Ajnas for Rs 7 lakh and Anand Krishnan for Rs 5.20 lakh. In Category B, M. Nikhil and Akshay Manohar were the top earners, with Trivandrum Royals signing them for Rs 6.20 lakh and Rs 4.80 lakh, respectively.
Category C Highlights
Besides Sibin Girish and Krishnadev, Category C saw competitive bidding for Amal AG, MS Akhil, and Vipul Shakthi. Kollam Sailors signed Amal AG for Rs 3.80 lakh, Thrissur Titans picked up MS Akhil for Rs 3.80 lakh, and Kochi Blue Tigers acquired Vipul Shakthi for Rs 3 lakh.
Retentions and Squad Composition
Ahead of the auction, Aries Kollam Sailors and Thrissur Titans had retained four players each, while Calicut Globstars and Trivandrum Royals retained three each. Kochi Blue Tigers and Alleppey Ripples retained two apiece. A total of 18 players were retained by the six franchises, while the remaining 89 players were acquired during bidding.
Salary Purse and Squad Sizes
Each franchise had a salary purse of Rs 50 lakh. Trivandrum Royals, Alleppey Ripples, and Kochi Blue Tigers exhausted their full purse. Kollam Sailors spent Rs 49.75 lakh, Calicut Globstars Rs 49.70 lakh, and Thrissur Titans Rs 49.35 lakh. Kochi Blue Tigers and Thrissur Titans completed their squads with 20 players each, Kollam Sailors signed 19 players, while Alleppey Ripples, Calicut Globstars, and Trivandrum Royals finalised 16-member squads.
