PKL 11: Top five Raiders to watch out for at auction

One of these top raiders can be one of the most buys at the auction.

The season 11 of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL 11) has officially begun. Started in 2014 by Mashal Sports and Star Sports India, the league has grown by leaps and bounds. PKL has brought the game from the Maidans to Mats with international recognition. PKL 11 promises to be yet another great event as the league will be with a new logo.

The league will step into the second decade of its existence with the Auction set to happen on August 15 and 16 in Mumbai. The Teams will step into the Jio World Center in BKC to make purchases. One of the most sought-after players will be the one who will be stepping into the opponent’s side of the mat to get points.

The Raiders have been the most sold players in previous years and here are the top five picks who will be in high demand in Mumbai.

#5 Pardeep Narwal

Pardeep Narwal by his standards had his worst season in the last seven years. The Dubki King scored 122 points in 17 games and was benched for the last part of the season. It is without a doubt that the zeal with which he dominated the initial years is missing from the legs of Pardeep Narwal but he is still a stock worth investing in.

Teams that have retained a huge core would like to get Pardeep Narwal into the line-up. He is young and if he could join with the likes of Arjun Deshwal or Naveen Kumar, he could be a force to reckon with. Great players look for one swift moment and Pardeep would be hoping to prove it to the world that he still has a lot of fuel left in his tank to deliver at the big stage.

#4 Ajinkya Pawar

The Do or Die raids that Ajinkya Pawar pulled off heists in marked the beginning of the Tamil Thalaivas’ comeback. With coach Udaya Kumar back at the helm, the management has chosen to free him in order to expand their budget for the team Ajinkya may return to the squad, and Thalaivas will be focussing on a backup raider.

Ajinkya Pawar found his mojo with the Tamil Thalaivas with three consecutive seasons with 100+ points. He was with the Jaipur for a couple of seasons and they might want to get him back to support Arjun Deshwal. Jaipur had bought former Thalaivas raiders Ajith Kumar and Bhavani Rajput and tasted success in the last two seasons. The Panthers would like to make Pawar the third on the list.

#3 Sachin Tanwar

Tall Raiders are a luxury for any team and Sachin Tanwar is one such delight for his team. Firstly Sachin Tanwar was instrumental in the Gujarat team’s early development and they qualified for the finals in the first two years. PKL eight saw Patna Pirates release Pardeep Narwal and choose Sachin Tanwar as their replacement.

With 181, 179, and 184 points over the course of his three seasons with the three-time PKL champions, the tall, lanky raider has been sensational each year. It is surprising to see Pirates release him ahead of the Auction and he will be one of the players who will create a lot of action in the Auction table. Who will be able to get the skilled raider during this month’s Auctions will be interesting to watch.

#2 Maninder Singh

Longevity is an art that not many players have and Maninder Singh is among the very few players who are practicing it. He has been part of the league right from its inception as he was part of the Jaipur Pink Panthers when they won the inaugural edition. But an kept him out of action for the following three seasons. In the season five mega auction, he was brought by the Bengal Warriors.

Ever since he has been the glue of the Warriors set up. playing a crucial role in them lifting the trophy in season seven. He has been released by Bengal before only to buy him back through Auction. The fans might witness the same but one can never guess the Auction dynamics. The men from the east would be hoping to see their strategy work again.

#1 Pawan Sehrawat

Pawan Sehrawat, the captain of the Indian Kabaddi team will be a name on everyone’s list on Thursday. He was let go by his team once more. In season 10, he was hired by the Telugu Titans, who paid more than half of their budget (2.6cr) for his services. They were hoping to see Pawan change their fortunes having been at the bottom of the table in seasons eight and nine.

Even though Pawan scored 217 points, the Telugu Titans’ poor performance throughout the season continued to plague the team as they again finished in last place. He was released to give some space in the Titans purse. The 28-year-old emerged as the most expensive player in the last two Auctions and the Asian Games Gold medalist is expected to do the same.

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