PKL 12: Top five worst buys of Pro Kabaddi 2025

Some high-profile signings have had a disappointing season in PKL 12.

The Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 (PKL 12) ended, with Dabang Delhi lifting the trophy after defeating the Puneri Paltan in the final at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium in Delhi on Friday. The season was packed with entertainment, drama, and thrilling contests, keeping fans on the edge of their seats throughout.

Many players left their mark in the tournament with their brilliant performances in both defence and raiding, but unlike them, several others failed to live up to expectations. Teams invested heavily in these players during the auction, hoping for match-winning performances, but they couldn’t justify their price tags.

Their inconsistency not only affected their personal stats but also hurt their teams’ overall campaigns. On that note, let’s take a look at the top 5 worst buys from the PKL 12 auction, players who disappointed this season despite the hype surrounding them.

Worst buys of PKL 12-

5. Guman Singh

UP Yoddhas bought Guman Singh in the auction for a massive ₹1.073 crore, with the hope that he would provide strong support in the raiding department alongside the team’s lead raiders.

However, he turned out to be one of the biggest disappointments for the UP fans, managing to score only 88 raid points in 16 games.

He had a slow start to the tournament and showed a bit of improvement towards the end, but it wasn’t enough to help the Yoddhas secure a spot in the top 8. Overall, Gumaan failed to justify his hefty price tag and disappointed UP fans.

4. Maninder Singh

Maninder Singh, the second-highest raid points scorer in PKL history, was bought by Patna Pirates in the auction for just ₹20 lakhs. A raider of his calibre was expected to support Ayan Lohchab in the attack and take charge as the right-side raider, but he failed to make a significant impact.

He managed only 40 raid points in 7 matches and often relied on bonus points. His inability to provide consistent support in the raiding department and to revive Ayan at crucial moments was one of the key reasons Patna Pirates found themselves at the bottom of the table at one stage.

3. Sachin Tanwar

Sachin was bought by the Puneri Paltan in the PKL auction for a hefty ₹1.058 crore, once again becoming a crorepati player. However, he didn’t get many opportunities in the starting seven and was used mostly as a substitute raider throughout the season.

This limited game time seemed to affect his confidence, and he couldn’t deliver his best, managing only 24 raid points in 12 matches. Sachin failed to justify his high price tag and, in crucial moments when the Paltan needed a raid point, he couldn’t step up to the occasion.

2. Sanket Sawant

Sanket Sawant was one of the costliest left covers in the PKL auction, bought by the Patna Pirates for ₹40.75 lakhs.

However, he failed to justify his price tag and struggled throughout the tournament, managing only 5 tackle points in 10 matches. His poor form in defence was one of the key reasons why the Pirates found themselves at the bottom of the table at one stage of the league.

1. Mohammadreza Shadloui

Last season’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), Mohammadreza Shadloui, was acquired by the Gujarat Giants for a massive ₹2.23 crore in the PKL 12 auction. However, he had a poor start to the tournament; therefore, Gujarat lost most of their opening matches.

Shadloui looked out of form and couldn’t justify his hefty price tag. By the time he regained some rhythm, it was already too late for the Giants to stage a comeback. The star all-rounder managed only 37 tackle points and 28 raid points in the 17 games he played.

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