Indian spiker Ranjit Singh emerged as the top pick in the first ProVolleyball League (PVL) auction which also saw six foreign and 117 Indian players going under the hammer here on Friday.
Ranjit was the costliest Indian player with Ahmedabad Defenders shelling out ₹13 lakh for him.
New chapter
“I am excited to see what’s building up here. For all of us, this is a new chapter and hope we can live up to the expectations and faith shown in us by the team owners, federation and organisers,” Ranjit said.
In the foreign player draft, the Black Hawks Hyderabad got the round one first pick and they chose Carson Clark. Paul Lotman was the second pick joining Calicut Heroes. The third pick of the foreign draft was Rudy Verhoeff joining Chennai Spartans.
Tomislav Coskovic, David Lee and Novica Bjelica were picked fourth, fifth & sixth by U Mumba Volley, Kochi Blue Spikers and Ahmedabad Defenders respectively.
Olympic gold medallist Lee said: “I am thrilled to join the Kochi Blue Spikers. The league will do a world of good not only to the players, but also the sport and its fans. Can’t wait to get to India and get in the thick of action.”
The PVL, scheduled to begin from February 2 in Chennai and Kochi, will have six franchisees that includes Ahmedabad Defenders, Chennai Spartans, U Mumba Volley, Black Hawks Hyderabad and the Kochi Blue Spikers.
Volleyball Federation of India secretary-general Ramavtar Singh Jhakar, also a former player, said: “Well-organised leagues can give a sport much-needed shot in the arm. We expect PVL to do that to volleyball.”
