- Among the top five bids, Rahul Chaudhari was picked up by Tamil Thalaivas for ₹94 lakhs, Monu Goyat was sold to UP Yoddha for ₹93 lakhs while Sandeep Narwal was bought by U Mumba for ₹89 lakhs.
- Siddharth Desai became the most expensive buy at the Pro Kabaddi 2019 Auction with Telugu Titans splurging Rs 1.45 crore for him.
- Also entering the crorepati club was Nitin Tomar, who saw a bidding war between UP Yoddha and Tamil Thalaivas. He was acquired by Tamil Thalaivas before Puneri Paltan opted to use the FBM card to retain him for Rs 1.20 crore.
Siddharth Desai, 27, became the most expensive buy at the Pro Kabaddi 2019 Auction with Telugu Titans splurging Rs 1.45 crore for him after an impressive start to his PKL career last season.
With the price tag, he became the second most expensive player overall – behind only the Rs 1.51 crore paid for Monu Goyat last season.
Monu Goyat and Rishank Devadiga – @UpYoddha picked two of the biggest 🌟🌟 who went under the 🔨 on Day 1 of the #VivoProKabaddiAuction!
What do we have in store on Day 2? Stay tuned for all the latest updates. pic.twitter.com/t0jya8mV0S
— ProKabaddi (@ProKabaddi) April 9, 2019
Goyat, who became the most expensive non-cricket auction buy, last year, took a pay cut after a dismal season where he scored just 160 points from 20 matches. Yet, he emerged with a smart paycheque of Rs 93 lakhs from UP Yoddha.
.@PuneriPaltan made some smart choices on Day 1 of the #VivoProKabaddiAuction – the 🔝 one being their decision to get Nitin Tomar back on board! 🙌
What do you make of their team? Share your thoughts here, and stay tuned for the latest updates from Day 2 of the event. pic.twitter.com/DdtCJjLP70
— ProKabaddi (@ProKabaddi) April 9, 2019
Another player to enter the crorepati club was Nitin Tomar, who saw a bidding war between UP Yoddha and Tamil Thalaivas. He was acquired by Tamil Thalaivas before Puneri Paltan opted to use the FBM card to retain him for Rs 1.20 crore.
Ahead of Goyat was Rahul Chaudhari, who has 825 raid points on his CV, and went to Tamil Thalaivas for Rs 94 lakhs.
They came. They saw. And they picked up the Raid Machine! 🙌@tamilthalaivas bolstered their squad adding Rahul Chaudhari to their battalion.
Here’s a summary of their buys from Day 1 of the #VivoProKabaddiAuction.
Stay tuned for all the LIVE updates from Day 2. pic.twitter.com/ivcJqhg4JP— ProKabaddi (@ProKabaddi) April 9, 2019
With the PKL showcasing talent from across cities, the domestic category A stars and overseas players did lead the bid-chart for the day. The auctions saw Crorepati’s emerge, with franchises going all out in the bidding game to build a strong squad for the upcoming league.
Also Read: Top Kabaddi Players in India and Abroad
Siddharth Desai’s reaction to the auction
The Raid Machine may have left the @Telugu_Titans, but the yellow army made amends by scalping Siddharth Desai! 🤩
Here’s how they stand before the action resumes in Day 2 of the #VivoProKabaddiAuction!
For all the latest updates from the venue, stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/4Nyim1ubWJ— ProKabaddi (@ProKabaddi) April 9, 2019
Reacting to the auctions, Siddharth Desai said: “I started dancing when I saw the result of my bid. I come from a humble background; my father is a farmer and I know how difficult it is to become a Kabaddi player. I would like to thank Telugu Titans for believing in me and handing me the opportunity to showcase my talent. Now that I have been sold for such a high price I will make sure I give my 100% and make the team proud.”
Also Read: Know The Most Expensive Buys in IPL Auctions 2018
Other valuable bids in PKL auction
Iran’s Mohammad Esmaeil Nabibakhsh is the highest valued international player, at Rs. 77.75 lakhs bought by Bengal Warriors. Iran’s Abozar Mohajermighani, sold for Rs. 75 lakhs to Telugu Titans, emerged as the second most expensive international player.
Meanwhile, Patna Pirates picked up Korea’s Jang Kun Lee for ₹40lakhs and Iran’s Mohammed Esmaeil Maghsodhu for Rs. 35 lakhs. Korea’s Dong Geon Lee is the fifth most expensive international player sold to U Mumba for Rs. 25 lakh.
Latest Update: PKL 2019 Auctions Day 2
Taking ✈️!
The bidding war for rookie defender Neeraj Kumar had four teams – @BengalWarriors, @PatnaPirates, @HaryanaSteelers and, @tamilthalaivas going hammer and tongs, but #PirateHamla claimed it late on Day 2 of the #VivoProKabaddiAuction.
Kya Nee-raj karega?
— ProKabaddi (@ProKabaddi) April 9, 2019
Neeraj Kunar joins Patna Pirates for Rs. 44.75 lakhs in the biggest buy of Day 2 of the Pro Kabaddi League 2019 auctions.
PKL has emerged as one of the top performing sports league in India
What did we say? Lights, camera, auction! 🤩#AboutLastNight when Day 1 of the #VivoProKabaddiAuction ended with some 😮 moves and some 😱 surprises, amidst the usual excitement.
Here are some of the best 📸 from the event.For updates from Day 2, keep your 👀 on this space pic.twitter.com/LZboacXImI
— ProKabaddi (@ProKabaddi) April 9, 2019
A total of 12 players were retained by eight teams signifying the importance of squad continuity and long-term association of players with their respective teams.
The retained players include Nitin Tomar and Girish Ernak (Puneri Paltan), Parvesh Bhainswal (Gujrat Fortune Giants), Mahendra Singh (Bengaluru Bulls), Chandran Ranjit and Ravinder Pahal (Dabang Delhi KC), Jaideep (Patna Pirates), Vishal Bhardwaj and Ebozar (Telugu Titans), Rohit Baliyan (U Mumba), Rishank Devadiga and Shrikant Jadhav (UP Yoddha). The 13-week league will start from 19 July.
PKL has emerged as a top performing sports league in India after the IPL. According to a recent published by GroupM ESP, the sports and entertainment arm of GroupM stated that Pro Kabbadi League (PKL) had a good year in 2018, registering a growth of 31% over the previous year in on-ground sponsorship.
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