These players might remain unsold in the upcoming season because of their poor performance last season.
All 12 teams of the Pro Kabaddi League released several big and experienced names ahead of the PKL season 12 auction (PKL 12), sending shockwaves to fans. This season, many star players will go under the hammer. Despite the big names going into the auction, teams might overlook some of the big and experienced players who have not been able to perform consistently well in the previous editions of the PKL.
All franchises would like to invest in young and emerging stars. This time, the teams will be eyeing consistent performers who have performed well in the last few editions of this league.
Also Read: PKL 12: Head coaches of all 12 teams participating in auction
PKL has reached new heights of professionalism, where teams are willing to spend big bucks to bring in quality players. Teams have also started to set aside their emotions and make bold decisions by benching famous players when their performances fall short of expectations. Let’s look at five big names who might go unsold in the auction.
Surinder Singh Dehal
Defender Surinder Singh Dehal is unlikely to fetch a bid in the upcoming PKL season 12 auction. The experienced Indian player had a poor outing in the previous edition of the Pro Kabaddi League with 14 points in seven matches.
Playing for Bengaluru Bulls, Surinder Singh bagged 14 tackle points, including 1 Super Tackle and two High 5s. He made his PKL debut with U Mumba in season 5 and represented the franchise for three seasons before moving to Telugu Titans. Surinder joined U Mumba ahead of PKL season 9 and joined the Bulls after two seasons.
The Himachal Pradesh-born athlete had three good seasons with U Mumba, but his downfall began from the eighth edition with Telugu. Overall, Surinder Singh has earned 290 points (283 tackle points and 7 raid points) in 126 matches across seven editions in the PKL.
Vikash Kandola
Vikash Kandola made his PKL debut with Dabang Delhi in Season 4, but played only four matches. He joined the Haryana Steelers for the next four PKL seasons and had a fabulous outing, earning several points every season. He earned 58 points, 177 points, 195 points, and 180 points between seasons 5 to 8, respectively.
In PKL season 9, Vikash earned 139 points in 24 matches with the Bengaluru Bulls. Meanwhile, he had a bitter-sweet season with the Bulls in PKL Season 10, scoring just 70 points in 19 outings. He ended the previous season with a humiliating performance, bagging a mere 15 points in eight matches for Jaipur Pink Panthers.
Once a star raider in the PKL, Vikash’s last couple of seasons’ performances have come crashing down. The 27-year-old player might fail to find bidders at the PKL 12 player auction.
Surjeet Singh
Surjeet Singh made his Pro Kabaddi League debut in Season 3 with Puneri Paltan. The right cover has changed teams several times over the years and hasn’t been a permanent member of any one team for more than two years.
He has earned 462 points in 171 matches in the PKL, including 39 points in the 11th edition of the Pro Kabaddi League with Jaipur Pink Panthers. Surjeet is currently 34 years old, and his performance has also not been consistently good. Thus, the PKL teams will look to invest in the future and sign young and budding players instead of spending money on an old player.
Maninder Singh
Maninder Singh made his PKL debut with Jaipur Pink Panthers in the inaugural edition. However, he missed the next three seasons and returned to PKL in season 5 with Bengal Warriorz. Maninder was an integral part of the Bengal-based franchise, having served the team for seven consecutive seasons. He was released by the Warriorz ahead of the PKL 12 auction.
The Indian raider surely didn’t live up to the fans’ and Bengal Warriorz management’s expectations, having earned 102 points in 15 matches last season. He was not a regular starter either and failed to cross his usual 200+ points mark. Considering the poor form of the star raider, teams might consider not buying him in the upcoming auction.
Pardeep Narwal
‘Dubki King’ Pardeep Narwal, once a fan favourite, has seen a drastic fall in his performance over the last couple of seasons. He made his PKL debut with Bengaluru Bulls in season 2 before joining the Patna Pirates in the third season.
Pardeep served the Patna Pirates for three seasons and led the franchise to three consecutive PKL titles. He crossed the 300-point mark twice in three seasons with the Patna-based franchise.
Narwal then joined UP Yoddhas for PKL seasons 8, 9, and 10. He scored 188 points in the eighth season and clinched 220 points in the ninth edition of the PKL. In PKL season 10, Pardeep could bag only 122 points, leaving the fans stunned with a downfall in his career.
In PKL season 11, the Indian raider earned 111 points in 20 matches with the Bengaluru Bulls, having joined the club where he began his Pro Kabaddi campaign. Narwal has not been meeting the team’s expectations over the last few seasons, and thus, the franchises might overlook him and look for consistent performers and raw talent to groom for seasons to come.
For more updates, follow Khel Now Kabaddi on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.
