Vishnu Vinod takes charge as Kerala target another Ranji Trophy final

Vinod wants an assertive Kerala side—with room to play freely

Vishnu Vinod will lead Kerala into the Ranji Trophy season, beginning with an October 11 opener against Jharkhand in Jamshedpur. The 32-year-old batter and wicketkeeper from Pathanamthitta says he wants to shape the team’s identity without placing pressure on players to protect their places.

“We are going into this season with a positive mindset, and all our energies are focused on the first game,” Vinod told The Times of India. “I want to leave my imprint on this team, but I also want the boys to express themselves and not worry about their spot in the squad.”

Kerala retain much of the group that reached the Ranji final two seasons ago, but have a new coach in former Goa batter Swapnil Asnodkar. Vinod described Asnodkar as “like an elder brother” and said the pair are working to help players reach their potential.

Proactive captaincy earned Vinod the role

Pacer M D Nidheesh called Vinod’s promotion an “aggressive move,” praising his willingness to seek results and use inventive field settings. Nidheesh pointed to Kerala’s final league match of the previous season, against Goa, when the side forced an outright result on a lifeless pitch.

Kerala Cricket Association secretary Vinod S Kumar said the team’s nine-wicket win over Goa at Porvorim helped persuade selectors to appoint Vinod. Kumar said the match was effectively dead for Kerala, but the management was impressed by how Vinod marshalled his resources.

Kumar also said Vinod recovered from a lean spell through strong white-ball performances, including in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Experience and youth in Kerala’s squad

The batting group includes Sachin Baby, Rohan S Kunnummal, Vinod, Mohammed Azharuddeen and Salman Nizar. M D Nidheesh, Eden Apple Tom and Basil N P are among the bowling options, while Jalaj Saxena and Aditya Anand Sarwate are included as guest players.

Kerala are placed in Elite Group C alongside Jharkhand, Odisha, Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi and Services. Their season begins against Jharkhand in Jamshedpur on October 11.