PKL 2021: Assembled playing 7 cheaper than Pardeep Narwal
'Record-breaker' Pardeep Narwal made headlines at PKL Auction 2021. He fetched the biggest bid in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League at ₹1.65 crores. UP Yoddha broke the bank to sign Pardeep Narwal. He will now have a new home after spending five seasons with the three-time champion Patna Pirates.
The former Patna Pirates' ace raider played a pivotal role in leading their offense with over 1,000 raid points in the green jersey. The Dubki King led the franchise to three consecutive titles from season 3 to 5. It has made him one of the most successful players in the PKL today.
Going by his athletic pyrotechnics in the PKL, it was evident that Pardeep Narwal would end up becoming the costliest player signed at auction this year. On the other hand, some of the players who have been sensational in the PKL didn't come anywhere close to the price that Pardeep earned this season. In fact, an entire playing seven can be constructed cheaper than the amount spent on Pardeep Narwal.
Based on the prices the franchises spent at PKL Auction 2021, the team assembled in this article cost a total of ₹1.63 crores. It is still ₹2 lakh less than what the UP Yoddha splurged for Pardeep Narwal (₹1.65 crores).
Let's take a look at an assembled playing seven that is cheaper than the 'Record-breaker' Pardeep Narwal:
Assembled PKL playing seven cheaper than Pardeep Narwal:
Right Corner - Abozar Mighani (₹30.5 lakh)
Iranian right corner Abozar Mighani was snapped up by the defending champions Bengal Warriors at just ₹30.5 lakh this year. He made an impactful debut with the Gujarat Giants in PKL 5 as the fifth-best defender of that edition with 65 tackle points.
The expert of back holds and dives went on to represent the Telugu Titans for the next two PKL seasons, scoring 95 tackle points in 39 matches and five High-5s. The Bengal Warriors have bolstered their defense with such exceptional talent in their corners as Abozar Mighani and Rinku Narwal. It will be interesting to see how the duo fares during PKL Season 8.
Right In - Deepak Narwal (₹26.5 lakh)
A do-or-die raider like Deepak Narwal, who can score points consistently in clinical situations, is always in demand in the PKL. Hence, it came as a shocker to witness the Bengaluru Bulls signing Deepak Narwal at just ₹26.5 lakh.
Deepak Narwal was a game-changer for the Patna Pirates in the final of PKL 3. Known for using his speed and agility to score quick raid points, he has scored 335 raid points with 10 Super-10s in the PKL. Deepak Narwal was a massive steal for the Bengaluru Bulls, who already have the likes of Pawan Sehrawat and Chandran Ranjit in their ranks.
Right Cover - Darshan J (₹10 lakh)
Karnataka's Darshan J has been in the PKL since the fifth edition with the Tamil Thalaivas. The right cover was decent in his maiden season with 40 tackle points for the Chennai-based franchise.
Darshan J is well known for supporting the corner defense well and can also execute well-timed dashes from the right cover position. He has represented Karnataka in the 65th and 66th Senior Nationals as well. The defending champions Bengal Warriors snapped him up for his base price of ₹10 lakh only at PKL Auction 2021.