PKL Auction Day 2: Ajith, Jai Bhagwan, Arjun Emerge as Most Expensive Players
The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Player Auction witnessed a flurry of high-value acquisitions on its second day, with Ajith V Kumar, Jai Bhagwan, and Arjun Rathi emerging as the most expensive players in their respective categories.
Ajith, a Category C player, was snapped up by Puneri Paltan for a whopping ₹66 lakh, while Jai Bhagwan, also in Category C, was acquired by Bengaluru Bulls for ₹63 lakh. In Category D, Arjun was fetched by Bengal Warriorz for ₹41 lakh, while Mohd. Amaan and Stuwart Singh were bought by Puneri Paltan and U Mumba for ₹16.2 lakh and ₹14.2 lakh, respectively.
The 12 franchises spent a total of ₹33.7 crores on the second day of the auction, bringing the total expenditure to ₹50.7 crores over the two days. On day one, Sachin Tanwar and Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh had emerged as the costliest buys, with Tamil Thalaivas and Haryana Steelers acquiring them for ₹2.15 crores and ₹2.07 crores, respectively.
Anupam Goswami, Head Sports Leagues at Mashal Sports and League Commissioner of PKL, expressed his satisfaction with the auction. “It was remarkable to see Category C players like Ajith V Kumar and Jai Bhagwan attract strong bidding of over 60 Lakh on Day 2,” he said. “I am extremely happy to see that all franchises have built well-balanced squads, which promises a highly competitive PKL Season 11.”
In total, 118 players were sold during the two-day auction, with the 11th season of PKL expected to commence in October this year. Puneri Paltan, the reigning champions, will be looking to defend their title against a host of strong contenders.
