All-rounder Deepak Niwas Hooda and raider Nitin Tomar surpass Iranian Fazel Atrachali to become the most expensive player in the history of Pro Kabaddi League.
After a fierce bidding war between Delhi and Haryana, late entrant Jaipur Pink Panthers picked up Deepak for the record price of Rs 1.15 crore. Meanwhile, Nitin was picked up the Pune outfit for the same price after they outbid the Dabang Delhi.
Later, Rishank Devadiga became the fourth player in the auctions to fetch Rs 1 crore and the third Indian. UP Yoddha used their ‘Final Bid Match’ card and got him back for Rs 1.11 Cr.
An elated Deepak Hooda was surprised after attracting such a high price.
“I didn’t expect such a high bid but when Fazel Atrazchali was sold for Rs 1 crore I did think my bid would be high,” said Hooda. “There are also new responsibilities now and I have to improve my performance. I can’t say for sure but I will try my best to do well and help the team win the trophy this time round,”
Deepak’s previous team Puneri Paltan decided not to exercise their Final Bid Match Card. Similarly, Nitin Tomar was also rejected by his previous side UP Yoddha.
The side from Jaipur were delighted with their new buy.
Last season, Deepak Niwas Hooda was named the captain of the Pune team. Known as the ‘Raiding Machine’, Deepak has been Mr Reliable for Puneri Paltan ever since season 3.
Previously, he was also part of the Telugu Titans in the first two seasons. Hooda joined Puneri Paltan in 2016 and played for the Pune-based franchise in the third and fourth seasons.
Not surprisingly, Hooda was retained ahead of the fifth season in 2017 for Rs 72.60 lakh. At the player auction of the inaugural season back in 2014, Hooda was the recipient of the second highest bid when he was bought by Telugu Titans for Rs 12.60 lakh.
After warming the benches for the first two seasons of the league, the 23-year-old finally got a PKL contract in the third season with the Bengal Warriors. He turned out to be a revelation, with 77 raid points in his first season.
Nitin's meteoric rise saw him become the most expensive player at the auctions for the fifth season, where Uttar Pradesh Yoddhas acquired him for an astronomical Rs 93 lakh. Caught in an intense bidding war with Telugu Titans, Team UP finally acquired the services of the star raider.
Born in 1994, the 24-year-old all-rounder hails from a village called Chamaria in the Rohtak district of Haryana. He has played a total of 57 matches in Pro Kabaddi over the course of four seasons. In his five seasons with PKL, Deepak has raked in 514 raid points in 81 matches.
Meanwhile, Nitin, who is from Malakpur village in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh, has collected 277 raid points from 42 matches.
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