Having solid defenders in your squad is a hallmark for any title-winning team in the Pro Kabaddi League. While raiders do the bulk of the scoring, a defender’s role in a team cannot be overstated as it is the defence that is eventually trusted to lay down a solid foundation to propel a team to success. Raiders may win you games every now and again but a robust defence that performs consistently is a prerequisite to win the PKL title. Keeping the importance of a strong defence in mind, all 12 franchises invested heavily in defenders at the Season 11 Player Auction and here we have a look at the most expensive defenders in PKL 11.

Sunil Kumar | U Mumba | INR 1.015 crores

The Season 11 player auction saw Sunil Kumar become the most expensive Indian defender in PKL history after U Mumba splashed a whopping INR 1.015 crores to secure his services. A two-time PKL winner, he’s one of just three players to captain teams in 100 PKL matches or more and brings tons of experience to the Mumboys’ defence. Eighth on the all-time leaderboard for most tackle points (336) in league history, Sunil Kumar managed 55 tackle points last season and will be a crucial cog in U Mumba’s defence in the upcoming campaign.

Krishan | Telugu Titans | INR 70 lacs

Second on the leaderboard for most tackle points last season and the highest-scoring defensive Indian player, Krishan’s 78 tackle points made him Patna Pirates’ go-to man in defence in the previous campaign. Apart from his tackle points, Krishan also notched up five Super Tackles and six High 5s in Season 10. With Telugu Titans in need of a confident and robust defender in their ranks, buying him for INR 70 lacs was a no-brainer. He will be looking to add to his 139 tackle points in PKL in the season ahead.

Shubham Shinde | Patna Pirates | INR 70 lacs

Shubham Shinde was the best defender for Bengal Warriorz last season with 62 tackle points and he can be expected to lead Patna Pirates’ defence in the upcoming campaign after the three-time champions bought him for INR 70 lacs at the Season 11 player auction. Shubham Shinde was previously with the Pirates in Season 8 when he scored 17 tackle points for them and he has since gone on to improve his game. He currently boasts 151 tackle points in PKL and expect him to substantially add to that tally with the Pirates in Season 11. 

Surjeet Singh | Jaipur Pink Panthers | INR 60 lacs

The only Indian with more than 400 tackle points in PKL and first on the all-time leaderboard for most High 5s (34), Surjeet Singh will make for a formidable presence in the Jaipur Pink Panthers defence. He has 404 tackle points to his name in PKL and scored 56 tackle points last season. Capable of contributing in attack as his stunning Super Raid last season showed, Surjeet Singh has also completed 25 Super Tackles in PKL, making him a smart buy by Jaipur Pink Panthers at INR 60 lacs.

Fazel Atrachali | Bengal Warriorz | INR 50 lacs

Like Sunil Kumar, Iranian defender Fazel Atrachali has also captained PKL teams over 100 times and needless to say, he brings an abundance of experience to the Bengal Warriorz defence. On top of the all-time leaderboard for most tackle points (486) in PKL history, Fazel Atrachali won the PKL title with Patna Pirates in Season 4 and has been one of the league’s most sought-after defenders ever since. He managed 62 tackle points last season and could prove to be a bargain buy for Bengal Warriorz at INR 50 lacs.

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