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The VIVO Pro Kabaddi League's auctions ahead of the sixth season slated to start in October later this year came to an end with the twelve franchises picking the best players to fit into their squad from the 422 players who threw their hat in the ring prior of the auctions.
Services raider Monu Goyat was the talk of the town as he emerged as the costliest ever player in the history of the league, after he was snapped up by the Haryana Steelers for a mind-boggling sum of ₹151 lakh rupees.
This also made him the costliest ever non-cricket Indian athlete, overtaking Sunil Chhetri's record signing of ₹1.50 crore in 2016 with Bengaluru FC.
Monu Goyat plied his trade for the Patna Pirates in the fifth season of the lucrative league and was one of the imperative features in Patna's title victory which saw him overtake big names such as Rahul Chaudhari, Nitin Tomar, Deepak Hooda to become the costliest ever player.
While on the other hand, the veterans were in for a shock as the likes of Manjeet Chhillar, Ravinder Pahal had to settle for the base price. Here is a list of five players who were bargain buys, considering their impact in the game.
#5 Sachin Shingade - ₹20 lakh (Haryana Steelers)
One of the most consistent defenders going around in the league, Sachin Shingade's fearless defending has proved to be vital for the teams he has represented in the league, especially the Patna Pirates.
Although the burly defender was not in the best of form in the previous season where he picked only 22 points from 26 matches, the left cover defender's ability to stop the best of raiders in their path will be extremely useful to the Steelers.
Having procured the services of Surender Nada for ₹75 lakh and losing a major chunk of their purse to Monu Goyat, the Steelers needed to bid smart and that is exactly what they managed to do, snapping up Sachin Shingade for just ₹20 lakh, whose partnership with Surender Nada on the left corner and Kuldeep Singh will be vital for the Steelers.
#4 Shabeer Bapu - ₹15.5 lakh (Dabang Delhi)
Easily one of the most decorated raiders in the league for his ability to pick points at ease, Shabeer Bapu's success in the Pro Kabaddi League has not gone unnoticed and for Dabang Delhi to procure his services at just ₹15.5 lakh rupees is undoubtedly a steal.
From 54 matches, Shabeer Bapu has picked up 200 raid points and has managed to cement his place in all the franchises he has represented.
While his place in the fifth season was often taken by the likes of Shrikant Jadhav, Darshan Kadian, and Kashiling Adake at U Mumba, his presence on the court was still felt as he went on to collect 38 points from 12 matches.
A versatile raider, Shabeer's raiding prowess will certainly come to good use for Delhi and will also have the likes of Chandran Ranjith and Pawan Kumar Kadian for company.
#3 Jasvir Singh - ₹12 lakhs (Tamil Thalaivas)
Undoubtedly one of the most experienced raiders in the league with a whopping 366 points from 61 matches.
Jasvir's exquisite mixture of calmness and swagger on the mat has served him well in the past and is certainly bound to serve the Tamil Thalaivas, who might have pulled a rabbit out of the hat by picking Jasvir Singh at his base price of ₹12 lakh.
Set to play under Manjeet Chhillar, who was also the skipper of the Jaipur Pink Panthers and Ajay Thakur, Jasvir Singh will in most probably don the role of the anchor in the team and will continue to deal in bonus points and quick hand touches, which has turned out to be the veteran's go-to weapon right through his career.
#2 Kashiling Adake - ₹32 lakh (Bengaluru Bulls)
In the fifth season of the Pro Kabaddi League, the Bengaluru Bulls were dented by the fact that no other raider other than skipper Rohit Kumar could be amidst the points consistently.
With the addition of the talismanic Kashiling Adake into the squad, the lanky raider's ability to strike at crucial moments and keep his team in the game will undoubtedly take some pressure off Rohit Kumar's able shoulders.
The 26-year old was U Mumba's lead raider last season with 114 points from 20 matches and overall, Kashiling Adake has 494 points from 72 matches and stands fifth on the list of highest points for a raider in the league.
Given his raiding prowess, Kashiling Adake will certainly be a welcome addition to the Bengaluru Bulls, who will look to chase an elusive title in the upcoming season.
#1 Manjeet Chhillar - ₹20 lakhs (Tamil Thalaivas)
One of the biggest shockers from the auction was without a shadow of a doubt, Manjeet Chhillar going to the Tamil Thalaivas for only his base price, with none of the other teams opting for the league's most successful all-rounders' services in their team.
Pipped as one of the players to earn a fat contract, the ex-Jaipur Pink Panthers skipper was forced to settle for a paltry contract of just ₹20 lakh rupees and such was the shock that even the Thalaivas could not believe their luck.
Battling injuries right through the season, Manjeet featured in only 15 matches last season but still picked 52 points, 47 of them tackle points.
455 points from 74 points indeed do paint a pretty picture but on the day, it did not seem enough as the burly all-rounder attracted just an opening bid from the Tamil Thalaivas, one of the biggest ever steals in the history of the competition.
