The presence of superstar players like Pawan Sehrawat and Naveen Kumar in the PKL auction pool shocked many fans ahead of the new season. Both players are among the biggest names in the sport and have been face of their franchises for years. However, their entry into the open market is connected to salary cap pressure, team rebuilding plans, and in Pawan’s case, a major off mat controversy.
Fans searching topics like why naveen kumar entered open auction, pkl open auction star players, why did pawan sehrawat get out of pkl, and what is the pawan sehrawat issue are trying to understand the real reasons behind these massive decisions.
The Salary Cap Problem in PKL
One major reason why top players enter the auction is the PKL salary cap system. Every franchise gets a total purse of ₹5 crore to build its squad for the season.
Elite Category A players usually demand contracts worth ₹1.5 crore to ₹2 crore. Retaining one superstar at that price can reduce the remaining budget heavily. Teams then struggle to create a balanced squad with quality defenders, raiders, and all rounders.
Because of this, many franchises release even their biggest stars into the auction pool. This gives them more freedom to divide their money properly during the auction.
The FBM Strategy Plays a Big Role
Another important factor is the Final Bid Match card strategy. Teams sometimes release players into the open market with the plan of buying them back later.
The FBM card allows a franchise to match the highest final bid and keep the player. This system helps teams understand the true market value of a player before committing a massive amount early in the auction.
This strategy has become common in recent PKL auctions, especially with star players.
Why Naveen Kumar Entered Open Auction
The case of Naveen Kumar surprised fans the most. Known as the “Naveen Express,” he spent six seasons with Dabang Delhi K.C. and became one of the most successful raiders in league history.
He scored more than 1000 raid points for the franchise and helped Delhi become title contenders for several seasons. However, injuries became a serious concern in recent years.
Naveen suffered knee injuries that forced him to miss many matches, including a major part of Season 11. Retaining him at a very high price became a financial risk for Dabang Delhi.
By releasing Naveen into the auction pool, Delhi created a huge remaining purse of ₹4.56 crore. The franchise then focused on rebuilding the squad and re signing Ashu Malik as their main raider.
What is the Pawan Sehrawat Issue?
The story around Pawan Sehrawat was completely different and far more dramatic.
Pawan joined Tamil Thalaivas for a reduced price after previous injury struggles. However, during the season, the franchise officially removed him from the squad and sent him home.
Tamil Thalaivas released a statement saying the decision was made because of disciplinary reasons and issues related to team conduct.
Pawan strongly denied all allegations in a public video on social media. He defended his reputation and even said he would quit kabaddi forever if the accusations proved true.
He also hinted at internal problems with a specific individual inside the management setup. According to Pawan, he and his brother Arjun had plans to improve the team, but internal conflicts damaged the relationship completely.
Because of this fallout, Tamil Thalaivas decided to part ways with the “Hi Flyer,” pushing him directly into the PKL open auction pool.
With both Naveen Kumar and Pawan Sehrawat now entering fresh chapters in their careers, the upcoming PKL season promises massive excitement for fans across India.
