Mohammed Azharuddeen

Young wicket-keeper batsman from Kerala, Mohammed Azharuddeen was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore at his base price of Rs. 20 lakh in the February 2021 player auction. Though he didn't get a single game to play last season, the 27-year-old, whose name will once again be called at the auction table this time, is hopeful of getting an IPL contract.

Royal Challengers Bangalore started the day with INR 35.40 crore in their kitty and ended it with some mind-boggling purchases at the 2021 IPL Auction in Chennai on Thursday.

The cricketer scored a hundred from 37 balls

Mohammed Azharuddeen struck form at the right time while Sanju Samson continued his consistent run to help Kerala thrash Himachal Pradesh by 8 wickets in the Syed Mustaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament at the Airforce Complex ground, Palam in New Delhi.

South Zone has announced their squad for the Duleep Trophy final against Central Zone, led by Mohammed Azharuddeen and Ricky Bhui. Andrew Siddarth and Smaran Ravichandran replace Jagadeesan and Padikkal, who are now with India A. South Zone aims to maintain their momentum, relying on Azharuddeen and Bhui to lead the batting against a strong Central Zone.

Kerala's resilient batting effort led by Salman Nizar and Mohammed Azharuddeen helped them secure a draw against Jammu and Kashmir, progressing to the Ranji Trophy semifinals thanks to a 1-run first innings lead. Key partnerships, including Nizar's unbeaten 112 in the first innings, were pivotal in setting up a semi-final clash with Gujarat.

Sanju Samson will lead Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025/26, commencing November 26 in Lucknow. The team's departure is set for November 22. This appointment follows Samson's high-profile trade to Chennai Super Kings and his recent Asia Cup T20 success, as he prepares for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

Kerala bagged three points from their drawn encounter against Chhattisgarh in Ranji Trophy Group B at the Shaheed Veer Narayan International Stadium in Naya Raipur on Monday.

"It is an amazing feeling. RCB is my favourite team. Playing under Virat bhai will be special for me. Virat bhai is like an icon and idol for me in cricket. It's a dream come true to play under his captaincy. It still feels like a dream. I am so excited to share the dressing room with him, take some batting tips and fitness lessons," Mohammed Azharuddeen told Timesofindia.com.

Punjab smelt blood when Manpreet Singh Gony cleaned up Arun Karthick in the very first over of Kerala's second innings at the PCA Stadium here on Monday.

Seasoned batter Sachin Baby’s unbeaten 69 guided Kerala to 206/4 against Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy semifinal. Supported by Mohammed Azharuddeen’s 30, Kerala maintained resilience despite Gujarat’s disciplined bowling. Early wicket losses included Rohan Kunnummal and Akshay Chandran; Baby’s experience will be pivotal on Day 2 as Kerala aims to strengthen their position.

"I just like to play white-ball (cricket) more than red-ball," he says, before offering a simple explanation for his preference. "The white ball travels (in the air) a bit more longer than the red ball, that’s it. It’s good to see when the ball is going like this," he gestures as if he's flying a paper plane.

Kerala, last season's runners-up, must defeat Saurashtra in their upcoming Ranji Trophy fixture. The team has struggled with injuries and inconsistent performance. Captain Mohammed Azharuddeen expresses confidence in a turnaround. Key players are returning, and new U23 players are included to inject fresh energy. Kerala needs an outright win to remain in contention for the tournament.

Kerala all-rounder Jalaj Saxena played a crucial knock of 84 runs, rescuing his team from a precarious position against Bengal in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'C'. Despite early strikes by Bengal's Ishan Porel, Saxena and Salman Nizar's 140-run partnership ensured Kerala's recovery, concluding the day at 267/7.

Undoing all the great work they had done to get back into the match, Kerala's batting crumbled when it mattered the most as they lost by 70 runs against Gujarat in the Thimmappiah Memorial KSCA tournament at Mysore on Monday.

Kerala rode on opener Mohammed Azharuddeen's whirlwind unbeaten 137 off 54 balls to beat Mumbai by 8 wickets as they comfortably chased a stiff target of 197 in just 15.5 overs in an evening Group E game in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Wednesday.

S Sreesanth made his return to cricket memorable after a seven-year ban, as he dismissed Fabid Ahmed in his second over and wheeled away into a characteristic celebration with his arms outstretched.

Kerala suffered a four-wicket defeat against Maharashtra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy despite setting a target of 188. Divyan Hinganekar's all-round performance (2/24 and 43*) led Maharashtra to victory with one ball to spare. Hinganekar's late-innings blitz overshadowed Kerala's strong batting display, which included notable contributions from Rohan Kunnummal (45), Mohammed Azharuddeen (40), and Sachin Baby (40*).

Central Zone initially controlled the Duleep Trophy final. South Zone faced a significant first-innings deficit. Ankit Sharma, R Smaran, and Andre Siddarth resisted strongly. They formed a crucial partnership. Kumar Kartikeya dismissed Ankit Sharma. South Zone set a target of 65 runs. The match is now headed to the final day. Central Zone's bowlers took wickets.

Kerala's Mohammed Azharuddeen wouldn't have sat out on the arduous journey to emulate the Mohammed Azharuddin of Hyderabad, if not for a cricket-crazy elder brother and a die-hard fan of the former India captain.