PKL 13 Auction Unsold Players List 2026
The PKL 13 unsold players list is often the most surprising part of any Pro Kabaddi auction. Every season, a few well-known names fail to attract a single bid, while lesser-known players are snapped up for big money. This tracker will record every player who goes unsold at the Season 13 auction, explain why players go unsold, and show what options remain for them. Until the auction begins, it uses Season 12’s biggest unsold surprises to show what can happen when the bidding starts.
PKL 13 Unsold Players: Quick Status
| Detail | Current Status |
|---|---|
| Auction status | Not started |
| Reported auction window | October 18 to 25, 2026 (not officially confirmed) |
| Unsold players so far | 0 |
| Biggest unsold name | To be decided |
| Season 12 auction pool | 529 players went under the hammer |
| Season 12 players sold | 121, meaning most of the pool went unsold |
| Biggest Season 12 unsold name | Pardeep Narwal, PKL’s all-time leading raider |
What Does “Unsold” Mean for PKL 13 Unsold Players?
Each of the PKL 13 unsold players will be someone who was in the auction pool but did not receive a winning bid from any franchise. When a player’s name is called, franchises have the chance to bid at or above his base price. If nobody bids, the auctioneer marks him unsold and moves on.
Going unsold does not mean a player is banned or finished. It simply means that, at that moment, no franchise wanted to spend its limited purse on him. Many unsold players continue their careers in domestic kabaddi, and some return to PKL later as replacements or in future auctions.
Unsold vs Released vs Replacement
| Term | Meaning | When It Happens |
|---|---|---|
| Released | A player his team chose not to retain | Before the auction |
| Unsold | A player in the pool who received no winning bid | During the auction |
| Replacement | A player signed during the season to cover an injury or absence | After the auction |
Why Players End Up on the PKL 13 Unsold Players List
Fans are often shocked when a famous player goes unsold, but there are clear reasons why it happens. Understanding them makes the PKL 13 unsold players list much easier to understand.
Reason 1: Limited Purse
The most common reason for PKL 13 unsold players is money. Each franchise has a fixed salary purse, which was INR 5 crore per team in Season 12. Once teams have spent on retentions and their main targets, they may not have enough left to bid for every good player.
Reason 2: Squad Needs
Squad balance also creates PKL 13 unsold players. A franchise that already has three strong raiders will not spend on a fourth, however talented. Teams bid for the roles they need, not simply for the best names available.
Reason 3: Age and Fitness
PKL has become faster and more physical. Franchises increasingly prefer younger players who can handle a long league stage, which can leave experienced veterans without bids.
Reason 4: Recent Form
Teams pay for current performance. A player with an outstanding career record but a weak recent season can struggle to attract interest.
Reason 5: Base Price Too High
Players are placed in categories, and each category has a minimum base price. In Season 12, those base prices were INR 30 lakh (Category A), INR 20 lakh (Category B), INR 13 lakh (Category C), and INR 9 lakh (Category D). If franchises feel a player is worth less than his base price, they will not bid at all.
Reason 6: Auction Timing
When a player goes under the hammer can matter. If his name comes up after teams have used most of their purse, fewer franchises are able to bid.
PKL 13 Unsold Players: Live Tracker
This PKL 13 unsold players table will be updated live as players go unsold at the Season 13 auction. Notable names will also be highlighted in the section below.
| # | Player | Role | Category | Base Price | Season 12 Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| 2 | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| 3 | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| 4 | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| 5 | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
PKL 13 Unsold Players by Role
| Role | Unsold Count | Biggest Unsold Name |
|---|---|---|
| Raiders | TBA | TBA |
| Defenders | TBA | TBA |
| All-rounders | TBA | TBA |
| Overseas players | TBA | TBA |
Season 12’s Biggest Unsold Players: A Guide to PKL 13 Unsold Players
The Season 12 auction produced some of the biggest unsold shocks in PKL history. These names show that no reputation is safe once the bidding starts.
| Player | Why It Was a Surprise |
|---|---|
| Pardeep Narwal | PKL’s all-time leading raider with 1,801 raid points |
| Vikash Kandola | An experienced, well-known PKL raider |
| Siddharth Desai | A former high-priced raider with a big following |
| Sahil Gulia | A recognised PKL defender |
| Masanamuthu Lakshanan | An experienced PKL raider |
| Shrikant Jadhav | An experienced PKL raider |
| Maharudra Garje | A former Bengal Warriorz young player |
These players were confirmed as unsold in the official Pro Kabaddi live auction updates and major auction reports. The full record of every PKL champion and how the league has changed is covered in our PKL season history guide.
The Pardeep Narwal Moment
The biggest story was Pardeep Narwal. Known as the “Dubki King” for his signature escape move, he is PKL’s all-time leading raider with 1,801 raid points and was a key part of Patna Pirates’ three straight titles. Yet at the Season 12 auction, he did not receive a single bid. ESPN’s auction report described it as the end of an era, as franchises focused more on youth.
Pawan Sehrawat’s Near Miss
Pawan Sehrawat, one of the league’s most famous raiders, came very close to going unsold before a late bidding war took him to Tamil Thalaivas for INR 59.50 lakh. His case shows how thin the line can be between a big signing and an unsold name.
A Contrast: Base-Price Bargains
At the other end, Iranian defender Fazel Atrachali was sold at his base price of INR 30 lakh and went on to be named Season 12’s Most Valuable Player. Some franchises clearly saw value where others hesitated.
PKL 13 Unsold Players: Day 1 vs Day 2
If Season 13 follows the two-day format used in Season 12, the PKL 13 unsold players list will build very differently on each day.
Day 1: Few Unsold, Big Headlines
Day 1 usually features the top categories, where most players attract bids. In Season 12, 28 players went up for auction on the first day and only two went unsold, one of them being Pardeep Narwal. Because so few players miss out on Day 1, any big name that goes unsold becomes the biggest story of the auction.
Day 2: The Unsold List Grows Quickly
Day 2 covers the lower categories and involves hundreds of players. This is when the unsold list grows fastest, because franchises have already spent much of their purse and are only filling specific gaps. Many talented domestic players go unsold on Day 2 simply because there are far more players than open squad places.
| Auction Day | Season 12 Pattern | What to Expect for Season 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 28 players up, only 2 unsold | A small number of high-profile unsold names |
| Day 2 | Most of the remaining pool, many unsold | The bulk of the PKL 13 unsold players list |
How Franchises Decide Not to Bid
Behind every unsold name is a set of decisions made by each franchise’s auction team. Understanding those decisions explains why the PKL 13 unsold players list will include some surprising names.
Pre-Auction Target Lists
Franchises arrive with ranked lists of targets for each role, along with a maximum price for each player. If a player is not on a team’s list, it will usually not bid, even if he is well known.
Purse Protection
Teams keep money back for their priority targets. If a priority player is still to come, a franchise may let other good players pass unsold to protect its purse.
Waiting for a Second Chance
Some franchises deliberately avoid bidding on a player, hoping to sign him later at a lower cost as a replacement if needed. This is a risky tactic, because another team might move first.
Scouting Data
Modern PKL franchises use detailed performance data, including raid success rates, tackle success rates, and fitness records. A player whose numbers have declined can go unsold even if his reputation remains high.
How Unsold Players Can Earn a Future Contract
For players who miss out, the road back to PKL is clear, even if it is demanding. Strong performances in domestic tournaments, such as the Senior National Kabaddi Championship, keep a player visible to scouts. Staying fit and available matters too, because replacement signings often happen at short notice. Players who adapt their game, for example a raider who adds defensive skills, can also become more attractive as all-rounders in the next auction.
What Happens to PKL 13 Unsold Players?
For PKL 13 unsold players, going unsold does not have to end the season. There are several paths that remain open.
Path 1: Replacement Signings
During the season, franchises can sign replacement players to cover injuries or absences. PKL 13 unsold players will be natural candidates, because they are fit, available, and already known to scouts. Fan trackers report that several teams added replacement players during Season 12, which shows how this route stays open all season.
Path 2: Domestic and Regional Kabaddi
Many PKL 13 unsold players are likely to keep competing in state championships, national events, and regional leagues. Strong performances there can put them back on PKL radars for the next auction.
Path 3: The Next Auction
A player who goes unsold in one season can re-enter a future auction. Form, fitness, and team needs change every year, so an unsold player can become a sought-after signing a season later.
Path 4: Coaching and Mentoring
For veteran players near the end of their careers, going unsold can mark a move into coaching, mentoring, or other roles in the sport.
PKL 13 Unsold Players: Who Could Be at Risk?
No one can predict the PKL 13 unsold players list with certainty, and naming individual players before the auction would be guesswork. Instead, here are the types of players who have historically been most at risk:
- Veterans with high base prices: experienced players in Category A whose recent numbers have dropped.
- Players returning from injury: franchises tend to be cautious with players who missed most of the previous season.
- Players in crowded positions: if many raiders of a similar level are available, some will miss out.
- Players late in the order: names called after teams have spent most of their purse face fewer bidders.
How Released Players Affect the Unsold List
The number of PKL 13 unsold players depends heavily on how many players franchises release before the auction. A larger pool means more competition for each slot, and more players are likely to go unsold. You can follow the latest on the retention and release process in our PKL Season 13 auction guide.
Unsold Players vs Big Buys: Two Sides of the Auction
Every auction balances surprising misses with big-money signings. Season 12 is the clearest example: while Pardeep Narwal went unsold, Mohammadreza Shadloui was bought for INR 2.23 crore and Devank Dalal for INR 2.205 crore. The same auction that rewarded young, in-form stars also closed the door on some of the league’s greatest names. For the full list of the league’s biggest deals, see our ranking of the highest-paid PKL players.
| Season 12 Outcome | Example | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Most expensive signing | Mohammadreza Shadloui | INR 2.23 crore, Gujarat Giants |
| Most expensive Indian | Devank Dalal | INR 2.205 crore, Bengal Warriorz |
| Biggest bargain | Fazel Atrachali | INR 30 lakh base price, later MVP |
| Biggest unsold name | Pardeep Narwal | No bid despite 1,801 career raid points |
Overseas Players and the Unsold List
Overseas players face a slightly different auction market. Every franchise needs overseas players in its squad, so top international talent, especially defenders and all-rounders from Iran, usually attracts strong bids. Mohammadreza Shadloui was the most expensive player of Season 12, and Fazel Atrachali was a base-price bargain who became MVP.
However, overseas slots are limited. Once a franchise has filled its overseas places, it will not bid for more international players, however talented. This means overseas players whose names come up late in the auction, or who play in a position teams have already filled, can end up among the PKL 13 unsold players even if they performed well in the past.
How to Follow PKL 13 Unsold Players Live
The official Pro Kabaddi live auction page on prokabaddi.com records every sold and unsold player during the auction. The league’s official social media accounts also post updates in real time. This tracker will be updated throughout the auction, with every unsold player added to the table above.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the PKL 13 unsold players list be available?
The list will be built live during the Season 13 auction, which is reported for October 18 to 25, 2026. The exact date has not been officially confirmed.
Who was the biggest unsold player in Season 12?
Pardeep Narwal, PKL’s all-time leading raider with 1,801 raid points, went unsold at the Season 12 auction.
Can unsold players play in PKL Season 13?
Yes. Unsold players can still be signed during the season as replacements if a franchise needs to cover an injury or absence.
Why do famous players go unsold?
Common reasons include limited team purses, squad needs, age and fitness concerns, recent form, and base prices that teams feel are too high. Timing within the auction can also matter.
How many players went unsold in Season 12?
According to ESPN’s report, 529 players went under the hammer and 121 were sold, so the large majority of the pool did not receive a winning bid.
Can an unsold player enter the next auction?
Yes. Going unsold in one season does not stop a player from entering future auctions, where changing team needs and improved form can earn him a contract.
Do many good players go unsold in PKL auctions?
Yes. Because the auction pool is far larger than the number of squad places, many capable players go unsold every year. In Season 12, only 121 of the 529 players in the pool were sold, so going unsold is common even for experienced players.
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