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'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.
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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.
Center - Rohit Kumar (₹36 lakh)
Getting a calm and composed leader like Rohit Kumar at ₹36 lakh was a massive steal for the Telugu Titans at PKL Auction 2021. Rohit has been the winning captain in the PKL, where he led the Bengaluru Bulls to win their maiden trophy back in their sixth season.
The Most Valuable Player (MYP) of Season 3 and a 2-time PKL champion, Rohit is the seventh-best raider in history with 670 raid points and 26 Super-10s. He has a record of scoring more than 100 points in every season he has played thus far. Rohit will lead the Telugu Titans and form an exciting raiding pair with Siddharth Desai in the upcoming eighth season of the PKL.
Left Cover - Manjeet Chhillar (₹20 lakh)
The 'One Man Army' Manjeet Chhillar has been a legendary defender in the history of the competition, amassing over 339 tackle points with 23 High-5s. He established himself as a lethal all-rounder earlier in the day as Chhillar was the second all-rounder to score over 500 total points then. The 35-year-old also has 224 raid points to his name.
His form has been on the decline with age and the demanding fitness levels catching up to him. However, he still produces fear in the hearts of his opponents with his blocks and thigh holds. Despite such huge numbers and uncountable accomplishments, Manjeet Chhillar was subject to just one bid worth his base price of ₹20 lakh from Dabang Delhi K.C. at the PKL Auction 2021.
Left In - Monu Goyat (₹20 lakh)
Monu Goyat was a choice pick for the Patna Pirates back in Season 5. The raiding duo of him and Pardeep Narwal wreaked havoc to take the Pirates to their third consecutive trophy win. The Bhiwani-based raider was the fourth-most successful raider of the PKL 5, with 191 raid points and nine Super-10s.
Monu Goyat then became the most expensive player in history when the Haryana Steelers signed him for a whopping 1.51 crores. His record was broken by Pardeep Narwal in this year's auction. He is a tricky raider who knows how to keep the opposition on their toes. Monu Goyat will have a massive point to prove this season for his former side Patna Pirates. He returned to the franchise for ₹20 lakh this year.
Left Corner - Surender Nada (₹20 lakh)
The ankle-holding specialist Surender Nada has been a household name in the PKL right from its inception. He was the joint highest tackle point scorer in the inaugural season and played a pivotal role for U Mumba in their title-winning campaign in the second edition of the PKL.
Nada was the most successful defender in Season 5 as well, with 80 tackle points at an astounding average of 3.52 for the Haryana Steelers. However, Nada couldn't play in the next two seasons with an injury in his left hand. That didn't stop the Haryana Steelers from re-signing their star defender at the PKL Auction when the team raised the paddle for Nada at a bargain price of ₹20 lakh.
