PKL 12: Top 10 biggest players available in auction

This will be one of the highest-stakes auctions in the last few editions.

Several big names, who have gone on to represent their respective nations for several years, have plied their trade in the Pro Kabaddi League. The raider, defender, and all-rounder have all become household names and have a huge fan following. Some have stayed at a single team for long, while others have donned jerseys of different colours with much higher frequency.

One of the reasons why the PKL 12 auctions could gather a lot of eyeballs is that almost all the marquee players in the sport will be going under the hammer. The most prolific raider and defender in league history, along with the best raider and defender from the previous edition, are just some highlights from a whole host of names.

On that note, let’s take a look at the top five biggest players available in the PKL 12 auction.

10. Vijay Malik

Vijay Malik, who has been in the league since season 5, has played for four different teams. However, the all-rounder has performed well, scoring points mainly as a raider and also clinched tackle points when needed.

His breakthrough season came in season eight with Dabang Delhi, in which he scored 162 runs in 23 matches, and the team won their first title. After a few unsuccessful seasons, his best performance came with the Telugu Titans in the last edition.

Stepping in as the lead raider in the absence of the injured Pawan Sehrawat, he secured 172 raid points in 22 matches to finish as the sixth-best raider.

9. Maninder Singh

The start of Mighty Mani’s journey is nothing short of a movie script. After playing a key role in the Jaipur Pink Panthers’ title-winning inaugural campaign, he missed three seasons owing to injury. He returned in the fifth season and was signed by Bengal Warriorz.

The powerful raider has racked up 1528 raid points in 158 matches and is the second-best raider in the league’s history. However, age seems to be taking its toll on Maninder Singh as he struggled with injuries and poor form last season. He scored just 100 raid points in 15 matches.

8. Pardeep Narwal

The ‘Dubi King’, Pardeep Narwal, is one of the reasons for the league’s popularity. Pardeep has secured 1801 raid points in 190 matches. He was the X-factor in a Patna Pirates side which won three consecutive titles starting PKL 3.

The Indian international then joined the UP Yoddhas in PKL 8, where he eventually experienced a dip in form. In the eleventh edition, he was picked up by the Bengaluru Bulls, the team where his PKL journey had begun in season 2. However, he could just muster 111 raid points in 20 matches.

7. Fazel Atrachali

Foreign players often don’t get such a large fan base. But the Sultan, a.k.a. Fazel Atrachali, has managed to attract large crowds when he plays. His strength and power in the left corner, as well as his tactical acumen and calm demeanour as a captain, make him a dream player for every team.

Fazel has amassed the highest number of tackle points in the league’s history: 545 in 188 matches. He has won two titles, during his debut season with U Mumba in the second edition and then with the Patna Pirates two seasons later.

Despite not finding much support, the Iranian scored 59 tackle points in 19 matches, in what was a disappointing outing for the star-studded Bengal Warriorz outfit.

6. Devank Dalal

Just one massive season and Devank Dalal finds a mention high in this list. After playing just six matches in two seasons for the Jaipur Pink Panthers, the raider put on an eye-popping performance for the Patna Pirates in season 11. He was the best raider by far, racking up 301 raid points in 25 matches.

He redefined consistency, amassing eighteen super 10s, with most of them ranging close to 15 points or above. Height, speed, and power- he has all the aspects of an ideal raider. With the side having punched above its weight to reach the final, it’s a surprise that the three-time champions released Devank.

5. Pawan Sehrawat

Pawan Sehrawat has made rapid progress in the league after emerging as the most valuable player in Bengaluru Bulls’ title campaign in the 6th season.

The ‘Hi-Flyer’ has accumulated 1318 raid points in 188 matches and is third in the list of most raid points. After getting ruled out in the first match for the Tamil Thalaivas in season 9, he was picked up by the Telugu Titans in the next edition.

While he had a good season as a raider, the team finished at the bottom of the table. The team was built better in the next season, but the Indian National Team skipper was sidelined for several matches due to injury. He impressed nevertheless, scoring 129 raid points in 13 matches.

4. Ashu Malik

Having joined Dabang Delhi in the eighth installment of the league, Ashu Malik became a mainstay of the team. He has scored 730 raid points in 91 matches. His reach, speed, and ability to perform well under pressure have further enhanced his stature.

However, he had to play second fiddle to Naveen Kumar in the first two seasons. The raider’s moment of glory came in the tenth edition, with Naveen being ruled out due to an injury. Ashu stepped up, guiding the team to the eliminator, ending up with the joint-most raid points in the season.

After this, he was given the responsibility of leading the team in PKL 11, and he again performed well, scoring 262 raid points (second-best tally) in 23 matches to help the team reach the semi-finals.

3. Naveen Kumar

Naveen Kumar joined Dabang Delhi in the sixth edition when the side had never reached the playoffs, and has subsequently seen the team reach the playoffs in every season after that. He has arguably the quickest feet among the players in the circuit.

Naveen has scored 1102 raid points in 107 matches. The raider was the main player of the title-winning team in PKL 8. Unfortunately, he has struggled with injuries the past two seasons. After playing just six matches in the 10th edition, he had an ordinary campaign in the next season, securing 100 raid points in 16 matches. Naveen is the first player to enter the auctions after crossing 1000 raid points.

2. Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh

Mohammadreza Shadloui made his debut for the Patna Pirates in the eighth edition and has proved to be an all-rounder in the true sense. He topped the list of most tackle points thrice in four seasons (he was placed second in PKL 9).

The young Iranian player has also scored important raid points, especially being effective in a defense of three or fewer. He has amassed 354 tackle points and 94 raid points in 92 matches.

In his first season, Shadloui was a losing finalist with the Pirates, but lifted the trophy with the Puneri Paltan and the Haryana Steelers in the tenth and eleventh editions, respectively. He scored 82 tackle points and 57 raid points last time.

1. Arjun Deshwal

Arjun Deshwal started his career with U Mumba in PKL 6 and couldn’t find much success early on. Things flipped drastically when he was snapped up by the Jaipur Pink Panthers two seasons later. He managed three successive seasons with 250+ raid points. Cumulatively, he has 1174 raid points in 114 matches. He is a man who knows how to deliver, even when the chips are down.

In a short duration, he has become the fourth-most prolific raider in the league’s history. He wasn’t at his best last season but still scored 227 raid points in 23 matches. Arjun could potentially be the most expensive player in the upcoming auction.

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