PKL auction: Five big names to watch out for

Siddharth Desai, Monu Goyat and Rahul Chaudhari - here are our picks of the five big names to watch out for in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Auction 2019.

Siddharth Sirish Desai (in orange) will be among the most sought after players on the 2019 PKL auction.

The auctions for the seventh edition of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) will be held in Mumbai and some of the biggest stars are up for grabs.

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Four of the five Indians who were bought for upwards of ₹1 crore have been released by their teams and will be among the key names to watch out for in two-day PKL 209 auction.

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Here are our picks:

1. Siddharth Desai

Siddharth was undoubtedly the brightest talent to emerge from season six of PKL. The 26-year-old took the league by storm by amassing a remarkable 218 raid points, the third highest in the league. In what was his debut season, he was the fastest to accomplish 50 raid points and equalled the record for 100 raid points (held by Rahul Chaudhari). He was also the first rookie to score 200 raids points in a season, averaging 10.38 raid points per match.

Snapped up for Rs. 36.40 lakh by U Mumba last season, Siddharth Desai impressed one and all with his stellar campaign.

 

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He was released by U Mumba because he was to undergo a shoulder surgery, but is back in the reckoning now. It will be interesting to see if U Mumba does rope him back by using the FBM.

2. Monu Goyat

Monu made headlines last year when he became the most expensive player in PKL history after he was signed by Haryana Steelers for a whopping ₹1.51 crore. He failed to live up to his price tag though as he scored a measly 160 points in 20 games, a disappointing season by his standard.

Monu Goyat, the most expensive player ever in the PKL at Rs 1.51 crore, had a lukewarm last season.

 

Monu will be eager to make amends and prove himself in PKL 7 and it will be fascinating to see if he can meet his earlier price, or perhaps attract an even bigger amount.

3. Rahul Chaudhari

Rahul Chaudhari - PKL's all-time top-scorer- will be among the most sought after names at the auctions. Rahul, who was signed by Telugu Titans for ₹1.29 crore via the FBM last season, is one of the most consistent performers across the six editions. The raider finished among the top-five scorers in five out of the previous six seasons.

'Raid Machine' Rahul Chaudhari will be among the most sought after names.

 

He also ranks third in the All-time raid points scored in Do-Or-Die situations, a testament to his ability to perform under pressure. He, however, had a lukewarm season last time around and finished with a total of 159 points, the 12th highest in the league.

4. Rishank Devadiga

Another fantastic raider up for grabs is the versatile Rishank. With a total of 594 points under his belt, he's among the most experienced raiders in Indian kabaddi. He has scored the seventh highest number of raid points in the league's history and ranks third on the list of players with most number of Super Raids (23).

Rishank Devadiga in action against Gujarat Fortuengiants last season.

 

He was last seen in action with the UP Yoddha, which retained him for ₹1.11 crore via the FBM. One of the most seasoned campaigners on offer, Rishank is sure to attract a hefty price tag.

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5. Abozar Mohajermighani

The league's second-most expensive player, Abozar was snapped up for ₹76 kakh by Telugu Titans. The Iranian finished 12th on the total tackle points list with 56 points in 21 games. Primarily featuring as a right corner defender, Abozar racked up eight Super Tackles - the second highest in the league. A supremely versatile player on the mat, Abozar will be the target of a majority of teams.