PKL Auction 2021: 5 players who earned a bigger contract from last season
PKL Auction 2021 is in the history books as all 12 Pro Kabaddi League teams made some big signings at the mega event. The biggest news from the auction was the UP Yoddha splurging ₹1.65 crore to secure the services of Pardeep Narwal.
Some deserving talents received big deals at PKL Auction 2021, while some big names unexpectedly failed to attract a single bid. Meanwhile, a few players who were released by their previous franchises ended up with a better contract after PKL Auction 2021.
In this listicle today, we will look at the five kabaddi stars who earned a bigger contract at PKL Auction 2021 compared to last season.
#1 Shrikant Jadhav - Signed by UP Yoddha for ₹72 lakh at PKL Auction 2021
Shrikant Jadhav was the most successful raider from the UP Yoddha team in the previous edition of the Pro Kabaddi League. However, the Uttar Pradesh-based franchise did not retain him ahead of PKL Auction 2021.
UP Yoddha signed up Shrikant for ₹68 lakh at the previous auction. Because of his excellent performance in the last season, Jadhav's price increased to ₹72 lakh this year.
#2 Sombir - Signed by Puneri Paltan for ₹34.5 lakh at PKL Auction 2021
Runners-up of Pro Kabaddi League 2019, Dabang Delhi KC, had signed Sombir for ₹10 lakh at the last PKL Auction. Sombir got to play only 12 matches for the Delhi-based franchise last season, where he managed seven tackle points, including a High 5.
Sombir returned to the auction pool before the 2021 season, and after an intense bidding war, the Puneri Paltan signed him for ₹34.5 lakh. It will be interesting to see if Sombir can justify his price tag.
#3 Hadi Oshtorak - Signed by Gujarat Giants for ₹20 lakh at PKL Auction 2021
Iranian all-rounder Hadi Oshtorak was the most expensive player in Season 2. However, he is yet to perform consistently in the league. Last season, the Patna Pirates signed him for ₹16 lakh. Although he scored 48 points for the team, Patna released him.
At PKL Auction 2021, Oshtorak's former franchise Gujarat Giants signed him for ₹20 lakh. The Iranian star will look forward to proving himself as a match-winner for Gujarat this year.
#4 Ravinder Pahal - Signed by Gujarat Giants for ₹74 lakh at PKL Auction 2021
Right corner defender Ravinder Pahal was the most expensive signing made by the Gujarat Giants at PKL Auction 2021. Pahal represented Dabang Delhi KC last season after the franchise signed him for ₹61 lakh. He scored 63 tackle points and played an integral role in the team's journey to the final.
Surprisingly, Delhi decided against retaining Pahal. He ignited a bidding war at PKL Auction 2021, where Gujarat signed him for a whopping ₹74 lakh.
#5 Chandran Ranjit - Signed by Bengaluru Bulls for ₹80 lakh at PKL Auction 2021
Another member from the 2019 Dabang Delhi KC to receive a bigger contract at PKL Auction 2021 was raider Chandran Ranjit. Delhi signed him for ₹70 lakh in the previous season, and he returned with 125 points from 22 matches.
The Bengaluru Bulls bid ₹80 lakh to secure Chandran's services for the upcoming season. Ranjit will look to form a great combination with Pawan Sehrawat in the Bulls' raiding unit.