NEW DELHI: Pro Kabaddi League season 11 player auction witnessed two players go beyond the 2-crore mark as Sachin was bought by Tamil Thalaivas for Rs 2.15 crore while Iranian Mohammadreza Ciyaneh was roped in by Haryana Steelers for Rs 2.07 crore.
Reflecting on his Tamil Thalaivas's expensive buy, former India Kabaddi captain Ajay Thakur expressed his confidence that Sachin, who is also the most expensive raider in PKL 11, will fully live up to his price tag.
"Sachin will fully live up to his price tag; he's an excellent player. Tamil Thalaivas made a great decision by bringing him on board, " Thakur told IANS.
No player has scored more than Sachin’s 233 do-or-die raid points in PKL history, and Thalaivas will be hoping that he can add to that tally for them in season 11. He scored 171 raid points last season and is seventh in the all-time charts for most raid points (952) in league history.
Moreover, the Bengaluru Bulls have secured the services of record-breaker, Pardeep Narwal, marking his return to his first franchise in PKL. Thakur opined that a player like Narwal will bring double value to the team irrespective of his price.
"As for Pardeep Narwal, although he was signed by Bengaluru Bulls for Rs 70 lakh, I believe he'll bring Rs 1.5 crore worth of value to the team, " he added.
Speaking on PKL's role in the evolution of Kabaddi in the country, the veteran player said the franchise-based league have provided a platform for young players to showcase their talents.
"Kabaddi has significantly improved for players. With the advent of the PKL, players have gained recognition, and young talents now have a platform, which is a major achievement, " said the Padma Shri awardee.
"I have seen different times of Kabaddi. Earlier, we used to think that national players will become international players and then they will get a job… Today, the saying that- "kheloge kudoge banoge kharab, padhoge likhoge banoge nawab" has been changed. Now it is the other way around - if you play, you'll have the chance to become an icon, " he added.
When asked if fans can see him in a coaching role, Thakur signed off by saying, "Absolutely! Whenever I would receive a coaching offer from any team, I'll accept it without a doubt."