PKL Auction 2025: Top five most expensive players in Pro Kabaddi League season 12
#1 Mohammadreza Shadalouei Chiyaneh - Gujarat Titans
Mohammadreza Shadalouei Chiyaneh had another sensational season in the Pro Kabaddi League last year, when he led the Haryana Steelers to the title and was named MVP of Season 11 for his stellar defensive work and all-around versatility.
The Iranian all-rounder was part of a bidding war at the PKL 12 auction but was finally snapped up by the Gujarat Titans for a staggering ₹2.23 crore, becoming the first player in PKL history to be bought for ₹2 crore on three separate occasions.
Chiyaneh is aiming for his third straight PKL title after winning the trophy with the Puneri Paltan and Haryana Steelers in the last two seasons, and you can check out the Gujarat Titans’ betting odds to win PKL 12 right here on SportyTrader.
#2 Devank Dalal - Bengal Warriors
Right behind Chiyaneh in the most expensive players’ list for PKL 12 was Devank Dalal, who shot to stardom while representing the Services team at the 71st Senior National Men’s Kabaddi Championship, where he was named Best Player of the Tournament.
Dalal sparked a bidding war at PKL 12, with the Patna Pirates, Bengaluru Bulls and Tamil Thalaivas all attempting to secure his services. However, it was the Bengal Warriors who eventually outbid their rivals, shelling out ₹2.205 crore for the star raider.
#3 Ashu Malik - Dabang Delhi
After another stunning season in the PKL with Dabang Delhi last year, Ashu Malik was expected to be a man in demand at the PKL 12 auction, and the team from Delhi left nothing to chance, using their two-season Final Bid Match (FBM) to retain their skipper’s services for this upcoming campaign.
Across the last two PKL seasons, Malik has solidified his reputation as one of the most consistent raiders in the league, finishing as the best raider in PKL 10 and second in the same category last year, recording 730 raid points combined over the two campaigns.
#4 Ankit Jaglan - Patna Pirates
Indian all-rounder Ankit Jaglan played an instrumental role in helping the Patna Pirates reach the final of the Pro Kabaddi League last season, and the franchise forked over ₹1.573 crore to retain his services for the upcoming campaign.
The Pirates were forced to make use of their Final Bid Match option to keep hold of Jaglan, who was part of a bidding war, with Puneri Paltan, U Mumba, Jaipur Pink Panthers and Haryana Steelers all tabling bids to secure his signature. He was the league’s second best defender in 2024 with 79 table points in 25 games.
#5 Arjun Deshwal - Tamil Thalaivas
Rounding out the top five most expensive players for PKL 12 is Arjun Deshwal, who was acquired by the Tamil Thalaivas for ₹1.405 crore. The 25-year-old is now set to feature alongside India national team captain Pawan Sehrawat in what looks like a formidable Thalaivas attacking line-up.
Deshwal, nicknamed “Raid-Machine” for his relentless attacking prowess, is a former PKL MVP and has amassed 1,174 raid points in 114 matches. His release from the Pink Panthers was considered one of the most surprising decisions at the PKL auction, after he recorded 230 points at an average of 9.86 last season.
