Arjun Deshwal had played under coach Sanjeev Baliyan for the Jaipur Pink Panthers
Arjun Deshwal will continue his partnership with coach Sanjeev Baliyan as Tamil Thalaivas bought him in the auctions for the season 12 of the Pro Kabaddi League. There were few surprises for the big names, but none for the Raid Machine. It was Telugu Titans who made Arjun a crorepati in just a few seconds with a bid of 1.02 Cr. Puneri Paltan joined the battle, raising it to 1.055 cr.
To the surprise of everyone, teams remained silent as the hammer came down. Puneri Paltan was quick to raise just in time to increase the bid to 1.25 cr. Without a minute, Bengal Warriorz raised the stakes to 1.40 cr. But the biggest surprise of the night came from the Tamil Thalaivas as they raised the paddle for a 1.405 cr.
Tamil Thalaivas had already brought Pawan and had a purse of 1.955 cr only. But they were firm in getting Arjun Deshwal as they raised the paddle to 1.405 cr. The hammer came down, and heads slowly turned towards the Jaipur Pink Panthers’ table. The owner of the team, Abhishek Bachchan, shook his head sideways, rejecting the FBM offer to confirm Arjun’s renewed journey with coach Sanjeev Baliyan.
Arjun Deshwal started career with U Mumba
Arjun Deshwal was one of the many investments the Pro Kabaddi League teams made as the league expanded to 12 teams. U Mumba were the ones who saw the spark in Arjun Deshwal as a teenager in season six. He was retained ahead of the next season, where he played a key role in Mumbai making it to the last four, before losing to eventual champions Bengal Warriorz.
Jaipur Pink Panthers went all-out for the Uttar Pradesh-born Raider, buying him for 96 lakhs. It was his breakout season, scoring 267 points, which was the second-highest in the season. Experts spoke highly of him, especially his calmness under pressure. He was retained by the inaugural champions ahead of the ninth season.
Arjun Deshwal helped Jaipur win their second PKL title
The 25-year-old earned the nickname of Raid Machine from his predecessor from the same state, Rahul Chaudhari, because of his exploits in season nine. He top-scored the season with a whopping 296 raid points, lifting the PKL trophy for the first time. He was rightfully awarded the Most Valuable Player award.
Ahead of season 10, he was retained for a massive 1.10 cr, making him one of the most expensive retained players in history. He continued his golden form with a whopping 273 points, which was one of the joint-highest in the season. Season 11 was yet another stamp on his class as the Raid Machine finished with 227 points.
The upcoming season of the Pro Kabaddi League promises to be another impressive one, as he embarks on a new journey with Tamil Thalaivas. He will join Pawan Sehrawat and Narender Kandola, and the trio will be the biggest threat to every defense for the upcoming season.
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