PKL (Pro Kabaddi League) Season 12: Retentions Announced, Superstars Go Under the Hammer as Kabaddi Saga Intensifies

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The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) has laid the groundwork for Season 12 to be a Season 12 blockbuster by announcing its retained players list before the highly looked-forward-to player auction on May 31 and June 1 in Mumbai. The season sees 83 players retained overall in three categories-Elite Retained Players (ERP), Retained Young Players (RYP), and New Young Players (NYP)-to enable teams to hold onto their core and form upon previous success.

Key Takeaways:

83 Players Retained: Franchises retained 25 Elite Retained Players, 23 Retained Young Players, and 35 New Young Players, maintaining continuity and stability in their ranks.
Star Retentions: Some of the high-profile players remaining with their franchises are Sunil Kumar and Amirmohammad Zafardanesh (U Mumba), Jaideep Dahiya (Haryana Steelers), Surender Gill (UP Yoddhas), and Puneri Paltan's dynamic duo Aslam Inamdar and Mohit Goyat.
Auction Pool Brimming with Talent: More than 500 players, kabaddi legends such as Pawan Sehrawat, Arjun Deshwal, Ashu Malik, Devank Dalal, and Iranian superstars Fazel Atrachali and Mohammadreza Shadloui, will be auctioned. For the first time, Dabang Delhi K.C. hero Naveen Kumar-who amassed 1102 raid points for the franchise-will be auctioned.
Auction Structure: The players are classified into four groups (A-D) with minimum prices of ₹9 lakh to ₹30 lakh. The salary wallet for each franchise is ₹5 crore.
Expectation Increases: With stars being released and new talent making their entry, fans should look forward to high-intensity bidding wars and high-drama team revamps.