"PKL auction on Independence Day is a fitting tribute to our sport": Dabang Delhi's Naveen Kumar

New Delhi [India], August 9 : Naveen Kumar, the dynamic raider of Dabang Delhi KC, has been instrumental in the team's success in the last five years. Known for his agility, speed, and strategic prowess on the kabaddi mat, Naveen has consistently demonstrated his dedication. His journey is a testament to resilience, skill, and the spirit of mentorship.
Naveen, who missed the majority of the last season due to a knee injury, has been recovering well for the upcoming Season 11.
Speaking about being retained by the Dabang Delhi KC franchise, Naveen said as quoted by a press release, "I am super excited to have been retained by Dabang Delhi KC. I have been with them from Season 6 and I am looking forward to Season 11 with them."
In addition to playing for Dabang Delhi KC, Naveen also serves in the Air Force as a Junior Warrant Officer. Talking about the importance of the Pro Kabaddi League auction being held on the 78th Independence Day, the dynamic raider expressed his thoughts. He said, "Kabaddi holds a special place in India, having won several international medals. The PKL auction on Independence Day is a fitting tribute to our nation's sport. We aspire to make the country proud on a global level going forward."
When asked about getting ready for the next edition of PKL, Naveen said, "My recovery process is going well. I had a couple of surgeries in Mumbai, and after a few months, I started practising slowly and steadily. It is going to be a slow process, but I will be ready before the next season starts."
In the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) season 2023-24, Dabang Delhi KC made it to the playoffs and was eliminated in the eliminators.
PKL announced the 'Elite Retained Players', 'Retained Young Players' and 'Existing New Young Players' for Season 11 on Tuesday.
Dabang Delhi KC have retained their raider duo of Ashu Malik and Naveen Kumar. Meanwhile, the 'Most Valuable Player' award winner in Season 10 - Aslam Inamdar has been retained by Puneri Paltan. Furthermore, the Jaipur Pink Panthers have retained their star raider Arjun Deshwal.
A total of 88 players were retained across three categories with 22 from the Elite Retained Players (ERP) category, 26 in the Retained Young Players (RYP) category and 40 in the Existing New Young Players (ENYP). The non-retained players, which include star players such as Pawan Sehrawat, Pardeep Narwal, Maninder Singh, Fazel Atrachali and Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh will go under the hammer at the PKL Season 11 Player Auction from August 15-16, 2024 in Mumbai.