Pro Kabaddi League has transformed the stature of India's traditional sport in the country. Ever since its inception, the tournament has become one of the most highly-anticipated leagues in India and has successfully attracted a wider audience to the sports.
The league operated by Marshal Sports has not only become an important source of entertainment for all the kabaddi lovers in the country but has also improved the lifestyle of players.
From 2014 to 2022, the league has witnessed many franchises breaking their banks to acquire the services of quality players. Former Indian captain and Arjun Awardee Rakesh Kumar was the highest earning player in the maiden season of PKL as he pocketed INR 12.80 Lakh, and eight years later 'Hi-Flyer' Pawan Sehrawat fetched the most lucrative deal after Tamil Thalaivas picked him for Rs. 2.26 crore on Day 1 of the Season 9 auction in Mumbai.
In this article, SportsTiger lists the five most expensive Kabaddi players in the history of PKL.
5. Siddharth Desai to Telugu Titans - INR 1.45 crore (Season 7)
Siddharth Desai was once the most expensive player in the history of PKL after Telugu Titans went berserk after him and secured his services in Season 7's auction and roped him for Rs. 1.45 crore. He amassed 217 raid points in 22 matches before Titans released him ahead of the 2021 season. While UP Yodhas bid Rs. 1.30 crore for Desai but Titans used their Final Bid Match card to re-sign the 6'2" raider. However, Desai could not deliver his best in the 8th season as he suffered a wrist injury after making three appearances.
4. Monu Goyat to Haryana Steelers - INR 1.51 crore (Season 6)
2018 was an unforgettable year for this Haryana-based athlete as he rose to fame by becoming the most expensive buy with INR 1.51 Crore. He was picked by the Haryana Steelers that year and ended up making an invaluable contribution of 160-points in 20 matches.
3. Pradeep Narwal to to U.P. Yoddha - INR 1.65 crore (Season 8)
Till season 9 auction, Narwal remained the most expensive player in PKL history due to his consistent performance throughout the years. Narwal made his PKL debut in 2015 with Bengaluru Bulls before moving to the Patna Pirates in 2016. Despite proving to be their best asset, Pirates released him ahead of 2021 auctions, and UP Yodha picked him for a whopping INR 1.65 crore.
2. Vikash Kandola to Bengaluru Bulls - INR 1.70 crore (Season 9)
The Sonepat-based raider caused a massive bidding war between Bengaluru Bulls and Tamil Thalaivas. Due to his impressive 150 plus raid points every year since Season 6, Vikash emerged as one of the attractive bids for the franchise in Season 9 auctions.
The Bulls accelerated the bid to 75 Lakhs, followed by Tamil Thalaivas joining the fray with INR 80 Lakh bid. While the figure quickly jumped in crores, Bulls finally secured Vikash's services with a bid of INR 1.70 Crore. Reportedly, Vikash Kandol's impressive mat time was one of the reasons why the Bulls opted for him over Pawan Sehrawat.
1. Pawan Sehrawat to Tamil Thalaivas - INR 2.26 crore (Season 9)
The 'Hi-Flyer' wasted no time in flying higher than the rest as he overtook Vikash Kandola's glory of being the most expensive bid in the history of PKL. Minutes after Kandola was bid for INR 1.70 Crore, Sehrawat emerged as the most lucrative player by fetching a bid worth Rs. 2.26 crore from Tamil Thalaivas.
With 304 raid points from 24 matches, Pawan bagged the award for the best raider of Pro Kabaddi Season 8. The 'Hi-Flyer' Pawan scored over 12 points on an average and also recorded 18 super 10s, the most by any player across the entire season.