Kabaddi Champions League Retentions: Don't Mistake Haryana's Regional League for PKL

When the five franchises of the Kabaddi Champions League (KCL) released their retained players list last week, a message popped up on my phone from a young fan: "Brother, Bhiwani Bulls kept Devank—does that mean his PKL price will rise now?" I paused before replying. Because that question captures KCL's biggest crisis: outsiders are mistaking it for the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). The truth is, KCL is a separate, smaller regional competition, with all five teams named after cities in a single Indian state, Haryana. This piece is against that misunderstanding, and at the same time it raises a question: why do the number of retained players and the price gap tell us more about franchise-building philosophy than about rankings?

According to a report published on October 15, 2026, the KCL Season 2 auction will be held on October 17. Before that, the five franchises have retained a total of 10 players. Bhiwani Bulls retained two—among them the most talked-about name, Devank Dalal, who was the league's most expensive buy last season at Rs 19.2 lakh. Karnal's team kept two, Panipat two, Gurugram Gurus three, and Hisar Heroes one—including Ashu Malik, whose name matches a PKL raider from Dabang Delhi, sparking speculation. League Chairman Balwan Singh said the retained players will form the core of the teams; the remaining spots will be filled at the October 17 auction.

Here's my first counter-question: why should this list not be read in comparison with PKL? The reason is clear. PKL's record buy (Pardeep Narwal) was around Rs 1.65 crore, and even a mid-tier PKL player routinely commands Rs 20-50 lakh. KCL's top price is Rs 19.2 lakh—at or below PKL's floor tier. That single fact says KCL operates on a fraction of PKL's finances; player pay is semi-professional at best.

So what is KCL's real identity? It is a state-level league rooted in Haryana's domestic kabaddi base, whose core capital is local talent and local pride—not national broadcast or star power. Haryana's akhada culture, agrarian physicality, and close ties with wrestling have made this state India's most prolific kabaddi talent producer. For rural families here, a sports contract or a government job is a path to class mobility. So it is no coincidence that KCL's five teams are named after Haryana cities—it is a plan to harness local talent and pride together.

But the retention pattern shows franchises are still stuck in the old habit of building around a star raider. Bhiwani kept Devank, Hisar kept Ashu Malik. This single-point dependence is a risk to team balance. KCL's match data is not public, so there is no way to verify any player's true ability; "most expensive" does not mean "best"—it is just an auction price. Yet that price is the only signal of how franchises are investing their limited resources.

Another notable point: Gurugram retained three, Hisar only one. The sample is small, but it hints at differing philosophies—some believe in continuity, some in rebuild. KCL is only in its second season; many regional kabaddi leagues in India have folded within their first few years. Against that backdrop, retention decisions are bets on the future, not displays of current strength.

When I see KCL news, I go back to the boundary grounds of Barishal—where as a teenager I first learned that fan emotion and local pride can be a team's greatest asset. KCL's capital lies exactly there—in Haryana's soil. But confusion with PKL can erode that asset fast.

Now comes the part where I could be wrong. Suppose KCL is not an independent league unrelated to PKL, but a shadow feeder system—where PKL's young or fringe players maintain match fitness. Then the Rs 19.2 lakh price may look small but its investment value is not; it is a cheap tool to retain players in PKL's off-season. But for that argument to hold, KCL must disclose a formal relationship with PKL or the All India Kabaddi Federation (AKFI)—which the report does not. In fact, the report mentions no broadcaster, sponsor, or federation link, which is itself a signal: KCL's commercial and institutional structure is still immature or not worth disclosing.

Another possibility: Haryana's deep talent pool might make KCL a strong regional product, even if not a PKL alternative. But that requires retaining local audiences who are used to choosing between the security of government jobs and PKL's bigger economy. If KCL remains merely a scouting stage for PKL, its viability as a brand is in question.

My prediction: KCL Season 2's real test will not be at the October 17 auction—it will be in the first two weeks after the league starts, when audience turnout and local sponsor interest become visible. If there is no broadcast or news coverage of KCL outside Haryana, the league will remain a regional exhibition in PKL's shadow. If there is, we must see how the risk of retaining star raiders plays out for the teams. Because in kabaddi, reliance on one name never wins a title; balance does. Will KCL learn that lesson, or will it imitate PKL's mistakes and lose its own path?