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The much-anticipated PKL Auction 2021 is slated to take place from 29th August to 31st August in Mumbai. After a long hiatus of two years, the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) has finally returned for its eighth edition, as it was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PKL, since its inception, has unearthed some of the best talents that the sport has to offer. It has transformed youngsters into star players by giving them the spotlight to showcase their skills and make a name for themselves in the process.
Young prodigies like Naveen Kumar (Dabang Delhi K.C.), Siddharth Desai (Telugu Titans), Sumit Sangwan (UP Yoddha) and Baldev Singh (Bengal Warriors) made significant contributions to their respective sides last time out.
All 12 franchises will be looking to sign talented newcomers with the potential to become future household names in the seasons ahead. On that note, let's take a look at three debutants who could earn big contracts in the upcoming PKL Auction 2021.
#3 Rathan K
Karnataka-based raider Rathan K could be on many PKL franchises' wishlist at this year's auction. Rathan K scored the fifth-highest raid points (55) in the 68th Senior National Men's Kabaddi Championship, one spot behind Indian Railways' Pawan Sehrawat (56).
A skilled raider who is an expert in jumps and escapes, the 26-year-old has been a part of the Karnataka team in the past two Senior Nationals. Rathan also has experience playing for Bank of Baroda, where experienced campaigners like Sukesh Hegde, Prashanth Kumar Rai and Sachin Vittala have played before.
Teams like the Bengaluru Bulls and Haryana Steelers, who are looking to add a decent support raider to their line-up, might go after Rathan K in PKL Auction 2021 to boost their offensive department. Meanwhile, the Patna Pirates could also target Rathan K after releasing plenty of raiders from the squad, including the 'Record-breaker' Pardeep Narwal.
#2 Galla Raju Reddy
Galla Raju Reddy has been an impressive raider for Telangana on the domestic circuit in the last few months. The lanky raider, known for his ability to score quick raid points and bonuses, makes him a contender to earn a PKL contract this year.
Reddy first appeared for Telangana at the Khelo India Youth Games in 2020 and scored a Super-10 for the state. His rise to fame came with his performance in Telangana Premier Kabaddi League Season 3, where he attained the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award with more than 130 raid points.
The young prodigy is also a gold medalist for the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in the 46th Junior National Kabaddi Championship. Galla Reddy also left an impactful statement in the 68th Senior National Kabaddi Championship, as he finished as the top raider for Telangana state.
Dabang Delhi K.C. and UP Yoddha might be interested in signing Galla Raju Reddy at the upcoming PKL Auction 2021 as he adds depth to the offensive unit. The Telugu Titans could also splurge to gain the service of the local raider as they have revamped their entire squad for PKL 8.
#1 Meetu Sharma
Haryana's Meetu Sharma has been the talk of the town among ardent Kabaddi fans for the past 12 months. Meetu has been in rollicking form ever since entering the spotlight in the 46th Junior National Kabaddi Championship. The young raider finished at the top of the raid points tally and won gold for the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in two consecutive editions of the Junior Nationals.
Meetu showcased his brilliance for the champions ONGC Kabaddi team as he won the best raider award with 77 raid points in the 38th All India Men's Kabaddi Tournament, a spot behind Air Force's Naveen Kumar. He led the raiding unit for Haryana alongside Pardeep Narwal in the 68th Senior National Men's Kabaddi Championship this year.
The Haryana-born could be in reckoning as the new face for Manpreet Singh's Gujarat Giants in the raiding department. Franchises including Jaipur Pink Panthers and Patna Pirates could also engage in a bidding war at the forthcoming PKL Auction 2021 to gain the services of Meetu Sharma.
