Top five most expensive raiders of Pro Kabaddi League Season 8

These players will light up the upcoming competition.

The players' auction for the eighth edition of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) took place in Mumbai from August 29-31. Many franchises parted ways with their significant players in order to revamp their team. It resulted in many game changers being put up for auction.

The 12 teams in the PKL auction were engaged in a bidding war and all eyes were on the most recent releases. Pardeep Narwal shattered the record for not only the most expensive raider but also the most expensive player in the Pro Kabaddi League's history. UP Yoddha signed the 'Dubki King' for a whopping amount of Rs 1.65 crore.

Meanwhile, star raider Siddhartha Desai got Rs 1.30 crore as Telugu Titans utilized the FBM card to keep him. One of the surprises of the Pro Kabaddi League auction was Arjun Deshwal. Jaipur Pink Panthers bought him for a big price, while other teams spent money on other top players.

Let's take a look at the top five expensive raiders of the PKL Season 8 auction:

5. Sachin Tanwar - Rs 84 Lakhs (Patna Pirates)

Sachin Tanwar has spent his entire Pro Kabaddi League career at Gujarat Giants. However, he will play for Patna Pirates in the upcoming season. In his rookie season, Sachin was among the top 10 raid point scorers in the league. He replicated the accomplishment the following year. Tanwar, who won the Best Rookie award in Season 5, improved dramatically in Season 6 as he scored a total of 204 points.

The raider was part of the Giants last season as well and scored 91 raid points. His results were sufficient for the Patna Pirates to make a significant investment in him, as they signed him for a whopping Rs 84 lakhs. With Pardeep Narwal gone and the Pirates keen to start afresh, a lot of hopes will be on Sanchin Tanwar to make a big statement. 

4. Manjeet Dahiya - Rs 92 lakhs (Tamil Thalaivas)

Manjeet made his debut in PKL Season 6 with the Patna Pirates and there he mainly played as a second raider to Pardeep Narwal. However, he has gradually grown in stature as a player, as he featured for Puneri Paltan last season and scored a total of 151 points.

The 25-year-old raider uses his height to his advantage in raiding. He also has the grit and determination to eke out points in tight situations, therefore, justifying the big bucks paid by Tamil Thalaivas.

3. Arjun Deshwal - Rs 96 Lakhs (Jaipur Pink Panthers)

Arjun Deshwal's name in this list Is indeed surprising. The former U Mumba raider will now wear the Jaipur Pink Panthers' jersey in the eighth season of the Pro Kabaddi League. The Jaipur-based franchise spent a mammoth amount of Rs 96 lakhs to sign him for their team.

Telugu Titans and Jaipur Pink Panthers battled it out for Arjun Deshwal, with the latter emerging victorious after they raised the paddle to sign him for the upcoming season. He is the third-most expensive purchase in the league's history. The raider scored 104 raid points last season for U Mumba and will act as second fiddle to Deepak Hooda in his new team.

2. Siddhartha Desai - Rs 1.30 Crore (Telugu Titans)

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Siddhartha Desai arrived late into the Pro Kabaddi League, but has made an immediate impact. He was named the Best Rookie in Season 6 after scoring 218 raid points in just 21 matches, setting new records in his first season with U Mumba. Desai is the fastest player to reach 50 raid points in PKL history.

He was one of just two players to earn a bid of over 1 crore in the recently concluded auction. Telugu Titans released him before the auction but then used the FBM card to match the bid of 1.30 crore. Desai had finished Season 7 with 220 raid points and will look to continue his good run of form.

1. Pardeep Narwal - Rs 1.65 Crore (UP Yoddha)

The most sought-after player on the list had to be Pardeep Narwal. The former Patna Pirates player is a three-time champion in the Pro Kabaddi League. He led the Bihar-based franchise to a hat-trick of trophies in Seasons 3, 4, and 5. With overwhelming performances in consecutive seasons, the record breaker became the first player in the league's history to reach 1000 points.

Pardeep Narwal also broke records in the recently concluded auction, as UP Yoddha bought him for Rs 1.65 crore. He is indeed a game changing addition to the team and being 24-years-old, he is still at his peak. The two-time PKL MVP is a player for the present and the future, and when he returns to the mat he'll almost certainly smash more records.