PKL Auction 2021: Top 5 picks from FBM cards used by the teams

#3 Deepak Niwas Hooda (Jaipur Pink Panthers)

Deepak Niwas Hooda has been Jaipur Pink Panthers' ace raider since PKL 6.

The Jaipur Pink Panthers made a massive steal when they got their former captain Deepak Niwas Hooda through the FBM card at just ₹55 lakh during the PKL Auction 2021. The kabaddi fraternity was stunned to see Deepak getting valued at such a low price. Ahead of the auction, many had expected him to be among the top-5 costliest buys.

A household name since the inaugural edition of the PKL, Deepak Niwas Hooda has been the third-highest scorer in the history of the competition, with 943 total points, 31 Super-10s, and four High-5s.

The current Indian team skipper is known for consistency in his raids as well as performing brilliantly in clinical situations. Deepak can also inflict valuable tackles from the left cover with his body blocks.

Deepak Niwas Hooda will once again don the pink jersey following the remarkable FBM move from the Jaipur Pink Panthers at the PKL auction. He will have a point to prove this year as his performance will be crucial to Jaipur's chances in PKL 8.

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#2 Shrikant Jadhav (U.P. Yoddha)

U.P. Yoddha retained their sensational raider Shrikant Jadhav through the FBM card.

U.P. Yoddha grabbed headlines at this year's PKL auction when they signed the 'Record-breaker' Pardeep Narwal at a whopping ₹1.65 crore - the highest sum for any player in PKL history. They didn't stop there as they bolstered their raiding unit even further by using their FBM card on Shrikant Jadhav at ₹72 lakh.

An exceptional raider who has been on the rise since PKL 5, Shrikant Jadhav has been consistent with his raiding with perfect timing and proper execution. He has improved his skillset with running hand touches, bonuses, and timely escapes. The Maharashtra-born raider has amassed 392 raid points over the past three seasons.

The team has a blockbuster raiding duo of Pardeep Narwal and Shrikant Jadhav in their ranks. They will wreak havoc together as they look to take the Uttar Pradesh-based franchise to their maiden trophy.

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#1 Siddharth Desai (Telugu Titans)

Siddharth Desai will be spearheading the offense for Telugu Titans yet again.

Given his performances over the past two seasons, Siddharth Desai was always going to receive a fat paycheck during the PKL Auction 2021. The Telugu Titans had paid ₹1.45 crore to acquire his services last season but re-signed him at ₹1.30 crore using the FBM card, ₹15 lakh less than what they paid for him in the previous edition.

Siddharth Desai announced his arrival in style, scoring 15 raid points on debut and becoming the fastest player to score 50, 100, and 200 raid points in history. He has consistently scored over 200 raid points each season, which shows how valuable an asset he can be when it comes to scoring raid points efficiently.

The 29-year-old was the best pick at this year's auction through the FBM card, as he is someone who can single-handedly change the complexion of a match. The Telugu Titans have restored faith in their talismanic raider yet again as the team look to make it into the playoffs this time around.