Prime Volleyball League auction sees record bids for Indian talent

Shameemudheen Emerges As Top Indian Buy At Prime Volleyball League Auction. Muhammad Nihal C K, Shon T John, And Jasjodh Singh Also Secure Significant Bids.

U-21 Guardians Trophy Players Gain Entry Into Professional Volleyball Franchises.PVL Auction Emphasises Investment In Grassroots Scouting And Youth Development.Franchise Owners Stress Holistic Development For Young Volleyball Talents.

Shameemudheen, Muhammad Nihal CK, Shon T John and Jasjodh Singh emerged as the biggest Indian buys at the Prime Volleyball League auction, with the quartet commanding bids of Rs 15.5 lakh (Rs 1.55 million) or more, in Panaji on Monday.

Shameemudheen, a middle blocker from Kerala and a senior India men's national team player, was the biggest buy of the auction, with Kochi Blue Spikers securing him for Rs 20 lakh (Rs 2 million).

Kerala's opposite spiker Muhammad Nihal was the next costliest Indian at Rs 19 lakh (Rs 1.9 million), with Ahmedabad Defenders making the winning bid.

Outside hitter Shon T John, also from Kerala, and Jalandhar-born Jasjodh Singh were the joint third-highest buys at Rs 15.5 lakh each.

Shon has been a regular member of the Indian national team since making his debut in 2018 and was part of the gold-medal-winning side at the 2019 South Asian Games.

Jasjodh, a 6ft 10in middle blocker and attacker from Punjab, was also among the most sought-after Indian players at the auction.

Players from the recently held Under-21 Guardians Trophy also made their presence felt among the 10 teams.

Suraj Chaudhary emerged as the highest-valued player among the Guardians Trophy contingent, with Calicut Heroes securing the young blocker for Rs 9.5 lakh.

The auction saw 11 players from the inaugural Guardians Trophy earn bids from PVL franchises, underlining the growing importance of grassroots competitions in creating a pathway to professional volleyball.

Kolkata Thunderbolts owner Pawan Kumar Patodia welcomed the influx of young players into the league and stressed the need for greater investment in grassroots scouting.

"I am very happy with this year's auction because many youngsters came into the squad of every team, which was necessary because unless we nurture the talents at the grassroots level, the supply funnel will be very thin," Patodia said.

He said the U-21 tournament had helped franchises identify players who could potentially make the transition to professional volleyball.

"We could see some of the very talented players and that has made us realise why not they be picked up for our regular auction," he said.

Goa Guardians owner Raju Chekuri, whose side finished runners-up in the inaugural Guardians Trophy, said the young players showed encouraging physical and technical qualities but would need a more holistic development programme.

"The physical fitness, the power, the attacking, the desire to play is good. And I think it's going to get better and better," Chekuri said.

"There is a lot of work to be done with these young kids. They come from different backgrounds, different locations. They are not exposed enough," he added.

Chekuri stressed the importance of mental conditioning, fitness and personality development alongside technical skills, while urging the youngsters to play without excessive pressure.

"They've got to play with freedom and enjoy and be thankful. Once they understand all that, they'll play more freely, less pressure. They'll enjoy more," he said.