Kerala has produced two Indian Test cricketers, Tinu Yohannan and S. Sreesanth.[2]Sanju Samson has represented India in T20Is and ODIs,[3] while Basil Thampi has a national call-up to his name.[4] The team also lined up ex-Indian International player Sadagoppan Ramesh for two years from 2005 to 2007.[5]Robin Uthappa, a former Indian International player currently plays for Kerala.[6] Kerala has also produced Krishna Chandran, who plays at International level for United Arab Emirates.[7]
In the 1959–60 season, Kerala's Balan Pandit (262*) and George Abraham (198) put up a 410 runs partnership in the fourth wicket, which is the highest in Indian first-class cricket.[9] Pandit's score remained the highest for Kerala in FC format until the 2007–08 season.[10][11]
Kerala's best season in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy was in 2012–13 season where they finished 3rd, missing out from finals after losing the last league stage match to eventual champions Gujarat.
At the end of the 2016–17 season, Kerala had played 302 first-class matches, and won 46, lost 140 and drawn 116.[12] In List A cricket Kerala had played 120 matches, with 47 wins, 71 losses and two ties.[13]
Kerala reached the pre-quarterfinal of Ranji Trophy in the 1994–95 season when they progressed as South zone winners under the captaincy of KN Ananthapadmanabhan.[14] They were qualified for the Super League after emerging as the south zone winners in 1996–97 under leadership of Feroze V Rasheed. Kerala reached plate final in 2002–03 and semifinal in 2007–08.[15]
In November 2017, they progressed to the quarter-finals of the Ranji Trophy for the first time, when they finished second in Group B of the 2017–18 tournament.[16][17]
They put on their best show in Ranji Trophy history when they progressed to the semifinals in 2018–19 season after beating former champions Gujarat in quarters.[18][19]
Governing body
The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) is the governing body for the Kerala cricket team. It was founded on 1951 and is affiliated to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Kerala State Sports Authority (KSSA). It is the parent body of the 14 district associations in Kerala.[20]
Current squad
Players with International caps are listed in bold.
^Praveen, M. P. (23 April 2013). "The man who set the pace for budding cricketers in Kochi". The Hindu. Kochi. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
^Sadhu, Rahul (30 July 2021). "India tour of Sri Lanka: Sanju Samson flatters to deceive, T20 World Cup chances hang by a thread". Indian Express. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
^"Washington Sundar, Thampi, Hooda in India's T20 squad". ESPNcricinfo. 4 December 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
^"Ramesh impresses with ton". ESPNcricinfo. 26 December 2006. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
^"Ranji Trophy: Robin Uthappa set to play for Kerala". Sport Star. 2 July 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
^"Karate Krishna Chandran: The First Keralite in UAE team". Kerala Cricket Association. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
^"Most Runs in an Innings for Kerala". CricketArchive. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
^"Kerala's first-class playing record". CricketArchive. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
^"Kerala's List A playing record". CricketArchive. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
^"In a first, Kerala cricket team makes it to quarter-finals of Ranji Trophy". The News Minute. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
^Rajan, Adwaidh (29 November 2017). "Ranji Trophy: Yesteryear stars feel Kerala cricket team can go even further in the contest". The New Indian Express. Kochi. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
^"Kerala cricket team creates history! Enters Ranji Trophy quarterfinals in style". Financial Express. 28 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
^"Kerala Ranji Trophy team qualifies for the quarterfinals". The New Indian Express. 28 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
^"Ranji Trophy 2018–19, Kerala vs Gujarat". BCCI. 17 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
^"Ranji Trophy 2018–19: First time semi-finalist Kerala look to turn tables on defending champion Vidharba". First Post. 23 January 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
^"Kerala Cricket Association". Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Greenfield International Stadium". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 25 June 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Nehru Stadium". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"University Stadium". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Conor Vayal Stadium". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Military Maidan". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Police Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Cochin Refineries Ltd Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Fort Cochin Parade Maidan". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Maharaja College Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Primier Tyres Oval". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"St Paul's College Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Nehru Stadium". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Corporation Stadium". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Manachira Maidan". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Medical College Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Medical College (2) Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Regional Engineering College Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Malabar State Police Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Perintalmanna Cricket Stadium". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Fort Maidan". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"The Government Victoria College Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Municipal Stadium". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"KCA Cricket Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Lakshmibhai National College of Physical Education Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Medical College Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"St. Xavier's College Ground, Thumba". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Vellyani Agricultural College Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"University Stadium". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Municipal Stadium". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Krishnagiri Stadium". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Sree Narayana College Ground". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"Alappuzha gets a new cricket ground". The Hindu. 6 June 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"തിരുവല്ല സ്റ്റേഡിയത്തിൽ ക്രിക്കറ്റ് പൂരമൊരുക്കാൻ കെസിഎ". Manorama Online (in Malayalam). Retrieved 15 July 2022.
^"1st Test, Mohali, Dec 3 – 6 2001, England tour of India". ESPNcricinfo. 3 December 2001. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
^"1st Test, Nagpur, Mar 1 – 5 2006, England tour of India". ESPNcricinfo. 1 March 2006. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
^"3rd ODI (D/N), Colombo (RPS), Jul 23 2021, India tour of Sri Lanka". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
^"3rd T20I (N), Colombo (RPS), Jul 29 2021, India tour of Sri Lanka". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
^"1st Match (D/N), Hyderabad (Deccan), Oct 17 1996, Titan Cup". ESPNcricinfo. 17 October 1996. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
^"1st Test, Chennai, Jan 28 – 31 1999, Pakistan tour of India". ESPNcricinfo. 28 January 1999. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
^"7th ODI, Indore, Apr 15 2006, England tour of India". ESPNcricinfo. 15 April 2006. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
Bibliography
Ramaswami, N.S. (1976). Indian Cricket: A Complete History. New Delhi: Abhinav Publications. ISBN 9788170170440.
Wisden (2014). The Shorter Wisden India Almanack 2014. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781472917188.
Bose, Mihir (1990). A History of Indian Cricket. Rupa & Company. ISBN 9780233985633.