Gujarat high for Pro Kabaddi League's new signing Gadai

Shankar Gadai (second from left) with his childhood coach Prashant Labade (extreme left) and friends in Bhenda Budruk on Saturday

Maharashtra captain and all-rounder Shankar Gadai was bought by Gujarat Giants for a whopping Rs 30.30 lakh in Saturday's Pro Kabaddi League player auction in the city. This newspaper reported on Friday how Gadai, 24, earned his crust by working at a sugarcane farm in Bhenda Budruk village of Ahmednagar district.

Like it happens at IPL auctions, there was intense bidding. Bengal Warriors initiated the bidding for Gadai, whose base price was Rs 10 lakh. Tamil Thalaivas then came into fray, but eventually it was the Gujarat outfit which succeeded in getting the Maharashtra captain. "I never thought about getting this much. I am speechless, can't express my feelings. I will give my best in every match [at the October tournament]. I thank mid-day for highlighting my struggles at the right. I think it played a huge role in three teams bidding for me at the auction. I got a lot of calls from Mumbai and other cities on Friday, enquiring about my difficulties," Gadai told Sunday mid-day from Bhenda Budruk.

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"I endured tremendous tension on Saturday morning. I even switched off my mobile. I was at the sugarcane farm alone. I was not thinking about the amount. I just wanted some team to give me a chance," Gadai added.

Meanwhile, Pawan Sehrawat became the most expensive player in PKL history when Tamil Thalaivas bought him for Rs 2.26 crore on Friday. Haryana Steelers and U Mumba also showed interest while bidding for Sehrawat, but Thalaivas had the last laugh.