PKL 2021 Auction LIVE: From Pawan Sehrawat to Maninder Singh, check full list of retained players for Pro Kabaddi League season 8 – India’s most sought-after Kabaddi league VIVO Pro Kabaddi (PKL), organized by Mashal Sports, announces the ‘Elite Retained Players’, ‘Retained Young Players’ and ‘New Young Players’ for Season 8 ahead of the player auctions.
A total of 59 players has been retained across all 3 categories with 22 in the Elite Retained Players (ERP) category, 6 in the Retained Young Players (RYP) category, and 31 in the New Young Players (NYP) category as teams begin assembling their squads for Season 8 slated to take place in December. The non-retained players including all squad players from PKL Seasons 6 and 7 will go under the hammer at the auctions in Mumbai from August 29th to 31st, 2021.
PKL 2021 Auction LIVE: Check full list of retained players for Vivo pro kabaddi league season 8
Anupam Goswami, League Commissioner, VIVO Pro Kabaddi and CEO, Mashal Sports said, “Preserving the spirit of squad continuity and team dynamics, the VIVO Pro Kabaddi League has maintained its Player Retention Policy, benefitting players and teams alike. The excitement among viewers and fans this year is palpable, and we are confident of delivering a stellar Season 8 of the VIVO Pro Kabaddi League!”
This time around, the pool of talent retained by the teams is a mixture of young and experienced players. Defending champions Bengal Warriors have retained their captain Maninder Singh along with one of the main heroes of the PKL 7 Final – Mohammed Esmaeil Nabibaksh. Top points scorer of PKL 7 Pawan Kumar Sehrawat has been retained by Bengaluru Bulls for a second consecutive season. The MVP of PKL 7, Naveen Kumar, has been retained by Dabang Delhi K.C. under the ‘Retained Young Players’ category.
Who are the top players retained?
Bengaluru Bulls have decided to keep their prolific raider Pawan Sehrawat while defending champions Bengal Warriors will continue with Maninder Singh and star all-rounder Mohammed Esmaeil Nabibakhsh, according to the Pro Kabaddi 2021 retained players list released on Friday.
The 12 teams have retained 59 players in all. Of these, six are Retained Young Players and 31 are Existing New Young Players. The Elite Retained Players are 22.
Jaipur Pink Panthers have retained the highest number of players (7) while Tamil Thalaivas have the least (3). U Mumbai have the most under the Elite Retained Players (4).
Along with Nabibakhsh, Fazel Atrachali (U Mumba) and Hadi Tajik (Puneri Paltan) make up the three overseas players who have been retained by their respective teams.
Other notable players that have been retained are Parvesh Bhainswal (Gujarat Fortunegiants), Vikash Khandola (Haryana Steelers) and via the Retained Young Players, Naveen Kumar (Dabang Delhi K.C.).
Telugu Titans and Jaipur Pink Panthers have each retained five young players.
In Pro Kabaddi, a maximum of 12 players can be retained in each team. This includes a maximum of six Elite Retained Players (established PKL players from previous seasons) and six Retained Young Players, comprising those selected in the team through the New Young Player programme.
Pro Kabaddi 2021 retained players list
Bengal Warriors
Elite Retained Players
Maninder Singh – Raider
Mohammad Esmaeil Nabibakhsh – All Rounder
Rinku Narwal – Defender
Retained Young Players
Ravindra Ramesh Kumawat – Raider
Bengaluru Bulls
Elite Retained Players
Pawan Kumar Sehrawat – Raider
Amit Sheoran – Defender
Existing New Young Players
Saurabh Nandal – Defender
Banty – Raider
Mohit Sehrawat – Defender
Dabang Delhi K.C.
Elite Retained Players
Vijay – All Rounder
Neeraj Narwal – Raider
Retained Young Players
Naveen Kumar – Raider
Existing New Young Players
Balram – All Rounder
Sumit – Defender
Mohit – Defender
Gujarat Giants
Elite Retained Players
Parvesh Bhainswal – Defender
Sunil Kumar – Defender
Existing New Young Players
Harmanjeet Singh – Raider
Sumit – Defender
Ankit – Defender
Haryana Steelers
Elite Retained Players
Vikash Kandola – Raider
Existing New Young Players
Vinay – Raider
Vikas Chillar – Raider
Chand Singh – Defender
Jaipur Pink Panthers
Elite Retained Players
Amit Hooda – Defender
Vishal – Defender
Retained Young Players
Nitin Rawal – All Rounder
Existing New Young Players
Sachin Narwal – All-rounder
Pavan TR – Defender
Sushil Gulia – Raider
Elavarasan A – Defender
Patna Pirates
Elite Retained Players
Neeraj Kumar – Defender
Monu – Raider
Existing New Young Players
Sahil Mann – All Rounder
Rajveersinh Pratap Rao Chavan – Raider
Mohit – Raider
Puneri Paltan
Elite Retained Players
Balasaheb Shahaji Jadhav – Defender
Pawan Kumar Kadian – Raider
Hadi Tajik – Defender
Existing New Young Players
Sanket Sawant – Defender
Pankaj Mohite – Raider
Tamil Thalaivas
Existing New Young Players
Sagar – Defender
Himanshu – Defender
M Abishek – Defender
Telugu Titans
Elite Retained Players
Rakesh Gowda – Raider
Retained Young Players
Ankit Beniwal – Raider
Rajnish – Raider
Existing New Young Players
Manish – Defender
Akash Choudhary – Defender
Akash Dattu Arsul – Defender
U Mumba
Elite Retained Players
Abhishek Singh – Raider
Ajinkya Rohidas Kapre – All Rounder
Harendra Kumar – Defender
Fazel Atrachali – Defender
Existing New Young Players
Navneet – Raider
U.P. Yoddha
Retained Young Players
Nitesh Kumar – Defender
Existing New Young Players
Sumit – Defender
Ashu Singh – Defender
Surinder Gill – Raider
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