All you need to know about PKL 9: What is NYP in PKL?

The ninth edition of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL 9) will get underway in three weeks at the Shree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium in Bengaluru. Like every other season, the tournament will offer India's young kabaddi players a platform to spend time with the seasoned pros.

Over the years, several youngsters have become stars in the kabaddi world due to the Pro Kabaddi League. Fans should expect more such stories from PKL 9 thanks to the NYP rule of the tournament.

In case you didn't know, NYP in the Pro Kabaddi League stands for New Young Players. Every year, the Pro Kabaddi League franchises sign a few names from the NYP category.

Eligibility criteria for NYP category in PKL 9

According to the rules of the Pro Kabaddi League, the minimum age required to join the NYP category should be 18. Players aged above 22 are ineligible to become a part of this list.

There are two subcategories under NYP. The first is the New Young Players, with the second one being the Existing New Young Players (ENYP). New Young Players are the ones who have never played in the PKL, while ENYP are the youngsters in the 18-22 age group who have been a part of the league.

Mashal Sports’ flagship Future Kabaddi Heroes (FKH) program helps nurture young talents across the nation. The top names from the program make it to the NYP category of the PKL Auctions.

Teams are allowed to retain up to six players from their previous set of New Young Players ahead of the auction. Over the last few seasons, players like Rakesh HS, Nitin Rawal, Sachin Tanwar, Nitesh Kumar, and Naveen Kumar have benefited from the NYP category.

Puneri Paltan made it to the playoffs last season, despite injuries to senior players, thanks to the New Young Players. Raiders Mohit Goyat and Aslam Inamdar starred in Pune's journey to the playoffs and have been retained for Season 9.