PKL 2025: Full List of Retained Players Announced Ahead of Season 12 Auction

The excitement for Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 12 is heating up as the official list of retained players was released ahead of the auction, which is scheduled for May 31 and June 1 in Mumbai. All 12 PKL franchises have finalized their Elite Retained Players (ERP), Retained Young Players (RYP), and New Young Players (NYP), ensuring a solid foundation for the upcoming season.

A total of 83 players have been retained across these categories, setting the stage for a highly competitive auction featuring over 500 domestic and international players. Fans can expect intense bidding wars as teams vie for top talent.

Key Retentions: Stars Staying Put

Several top players have been retained by their respective teams to ensure continuity and strength for the upcoming season. Some of the prominent names include:

U Mumba: Sunil Kumar, Satish Kannan, and Iranian sensation Amirmohammad Zafardanesh.

Haryana Steelers: Jaideep Dahiya, Rahul Sethpal, and Vinay.

UP Yoddhas: Surender Gill, Sumit, and Ashu Singh.

Puneri Paltan: The dynamic duo Aslam Inamdar and Mohit Goyat.

Tamil Thalaivas: Moein Shafaghi, Sagar, and Narender.

Full List of Retained Players

Several other teams also retained key players. For instance:

Bengal Warriors have retained Vishwas S and some young talent like Yash Malik and Manjeet.

Bengaluru Bulls did not announce any elite retentions but have kept promising young players like Chandranaik M and Lucky Kumar.

Dabang Delhi K.C. chose to retain Sandeep and Mohit, but their top players like Naveen Kumar are expected to enter the auction.

Gujarat Giants have kept Himanshu Singh and Himanshu, alongside young players like Parteek Dahiya and Rakesh.

Patna Pirates held on to Hamid Mirzaei Nader and Thiyagarajan Yuvaraj, and also secured Sudhakar M as their young talent.

Jaipur Pink Panthers retained Iranian Reza Mirbagheri and young talents like Abhishek KS and Ronak Singh.

Big Names Headed to PKL 12 Auction

While many top players have been retained, the PKL 12 auction will feature several notable names who will surely attract intense bidding. Key Indian stars like Pawan Sehrawat, Arjun Deshwal, Ashu Malik, and Devank Dalal are among the top players to watch.

Overseas talent also promises to steal the spotlight, with the likes of Iranian defenders Fazel Atrachali and Mohammadreza Shadloui expected to draw significant interest. Veteran Indian raiders Maninder Singh and Pardeep Narwal are also likely to be in high demand.

Naveen Kumar’s Auction Debut: A Historic First

One of the most anticipated storylines is the auction debut of Naveen Kumar. The star raider for Dabang Delhi K.C. is the first player in PKL history to score over 1,000 raid points for a single team before entering the auction. With an impressive 1,102 raid points across six seasons, his availability is sure to spark intense competition among franchises.

Auction Format and Base Prices

For the PKL 12 auction, players are classified into four categories: A, B, C, and D, with base prices set at ₹30 lakh, ₹20 lakh, ₹13 lakh, and ₹9 lakh, respectively. Players are further divided by roles such as raiders, defenders, and all-rounders.

Each team has a salary purse of ₹5 crore to build their squads, ensuring a balance of talent across all franchises.

With fierce competition and high stakes, PKL 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting seasons in the league’s history. The upcoming auction promises to be a thrilling event, filled with drama, big names, and unexpected surprises. Stay tuned for all the latest updates from the PKL Season 12 auction.