Kollam, Thrissur Use Full Quota Before KCL Auction

A cricket auction looks glamorous on television. In truth, it begins with quieter calls like this one.

Before the Kerala Cricket League 2026 auction on July 11, franchises have shown their hand. The third season now has its first clear shape, because teams have announced whom they trust enough to keep.

That choice says plenty. In a league still building its identity, retention is not just loyalty. It is a statement about form, balance, money, and dressing-room faith.

Kollam and Thrissur keep four each

Aries Kollam Sailors and Thrissur Titans used the full quota of 4 retained players each. KCL rules allow every team to keep a maximum of 4 players before the auction.

Kollam retained N.M. Sharafuddeen, Abhishek J. Nair, Pavan Raj, and Vijay Viswanath. Sharafuddeen gets Rs 7.5 lakh, while Abhishek gets Rs 5 lakh. Pavan and Vijay will earn Rs 1.5 lakh each.

Sharafuddeen’s retention is easy to understand. He has given Kollam all-round value across both earlier seasons. In T20 cricket, that is gold. A player who can change 2 departments saves a captain from many headaches.

Abhishek also forced the decision with his bat. He finished as Kollam’s second-highest run-scorer last season. For a side planning its auction table, that kind of recent evidence matters more than reputation.

Thrissur retained Ahmad Imran, Shaun Roger, Adithya Vinod, and A.K. Arjun. Teenage batter Ahmad Imran gets Rs 7.5 lakh after a superb 437-run season. He finished second on the overall run chart.

That number gives Thrissur a proper batting anchor before the auction starts. Shaun Roger gets Rs 5 lakh, while Adithya and Arjun get Rs 1.5 lakh each.

For young Kerala players, this is where the league becomes important. A strong KCL season can now turn into real money, sharper visibility, and a bigger cricketing CV.

Calicut backs its proven core

Calicut Globstars have taken the cleanest continuity route. They retained Salman Nizar, Rohan S. Kunnummal, and Akhil Scaria, the same trio they kept last season.

Salman will earn Rs 7.5 lakh. Rohan gets Rs 5 lakh, while Akhil gets Rs 3.75 lakh. All 3 sit in the top category, which tells you how strongly Calicut value their core.

Salman has built his case through important innings. These are not just pretty runs. They are the kind that pull a side back into a match, or push it out of reach.

Rohan gives Calicut another clear reason for faith. He made 337 runs last season and finished as the team’s top scorer. That matters in a format where one bad powerplay can wreck a chase.

Akhil Scaria may be the most complete retention on the list. He has been the highest wicket-taker in both KCL seasons. Last year, he also won player of the tournament with his all-round work.

That is rare value in a domestic T20 league. A bowler who keeps taking wickets every season becomes more than a player. He becomes part of the side’s planning language.

Royals retain last season’s top run-getter

Trivandrum Royals retained 3 players, led by Krishna Prasad. He was last season’s leading run-scorer and will earn Rs 7.5 lakh in the A category.

The Royals also kept V. Ajith and Govind Dev Pai. Ajith is in the C category, while Govind is in the B category. Both will earn Rs 1.5 lakh each.

Krishna Prasad’s retention gives Trivandrum a strong batting headline. In leagues like this, teams often spend auction day searching for one bankable top-order batter. Trivandrum have already locked theirs in.

The question now is what they build around him. Do they chase power-hitters? Do they go after death bowlers? Or do they look for all-rounders who stretch the XI?

Kochi Blue Tigers retained 2 players. They kept Saly Samson, who led them to last season’s title, for Rs 7.5 lakh. Mohammed Ashiq stays with the side for Rs 1.5 lakh.

That is an interesting call because both players are listed in the C category. Kochi have still spent their biggest retention amount on Samson. Clearly, leadership and last season’s success weighed heavily.

Alleppey Ripples made the shortest list. They retained only Mohammed Azharuddeen, who gets Rs 7.5 lakh. As an A-category player, he becomes their obvious centrepiece before the auction.

Auction table now gets tricky

Retention always creates 2 stories. One story is about who stayed. The other is about who went back into the auction pool.

That second story will decide July 11. Teams with fewer retentions, like Alleppey and Kochi, will have more space to reshape their squads. Teams with settled cores need sharper finishing touches.

This is where the purse becomes as important as the scoreboard. A franchise can love a player, but it still has to balance categories, roles, and match-ups.

For players not retained, the auction is not rejection. It can even become a better opportunity. A batter who did not fit one squad may solve another team’s biggest weakness.

For fans, this is the fun bit. Kollam and Thrissur look settled. Calicut look loyal to their match-winners. Trivandrum have a run machine. Kochi have kept their title captain. Alleppey have placed their bet on Azharuddeen.

The KCL is still young, but its market is already learning fast. Runs, wickets, leadership, and all-round value now carry clear price tags. For Kerala’s cricketers, July 11 is not just auction day. It is the day many careers get a fresh direction.