Sijomon Joseph (born 28 September 1997) is an Indian cricketer who represents Kerala in domestic cricket.[1][2] He is an all-rounder who bats left-handed and bowls left-arm offspin.[3][4]
Early life
Sijomon was born on 28 September 1997 in Kidangoor near Pala on Kottayam district of Kerala to Lisy and Joseph.[1][5][6] He lost his father when he was one and a half years old.[7] He was introduced to cricket by his brothers, Lijomon and Lijumon.[6] He was initially a left-arm fast bowler who later switched to spin-bowling by the advice of his coach, Jeen K. John.[8] He graduated high school from St. Antony's Public School, Kanjirapally. He is graduated from Sacred Heart College, Thevara.[6]
Domestic career
Sijomon was the captain of Kerala at U-14, U-16 and U-19 levels.[9] He took 41 wickets from six games in the 2017 Cooch Behar Trophy.[10] Rewarding this performance, he was named in the Indian U-19 team to play two Youth Test matches against England U-19.[11] He scored a half-century in the first innings of the first match[12] and took a six-wicket haul in the second innings.[13]
He made his first-class debut for Kerala on 14 October 2017 in the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy[14] after being called up to the squad as an injury cover for Karaparambil Monish.[15] Later that month in his second match, he took his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.[16][17] The bowling effort of the spin-trio, including him, debutant KC Akshay and veteran Jalaj Saxena was fundamental in Kerala's first-ever quarter-final entry in the season.[18] He finished with 19 wickets from eight innings'.[19]
Being promoted in the batting order, he scored a match-winning half-century in the quarter-final match of Kerala against Gujarat in the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy.[5][22]
He, along with Vishnu Vinod formed a record-breaking seventh-wicket of 174 runs, winning the match Kerala in the 2021-22 Vijay Hazare Trophy.[25] He took a five-wicket haul in the next match of the tournament.[26]
