Pro Kabaddi League 2025: The only PKL 12 preview you need to read

The Pro Kabaddi League returns on August 29, with season 12 shaping up to be one of the most competitive in history. Beginning with Telugu Titans vs Tamil Thalaivas on National Sports Day, PKL 12 will bring the sport to Vizag, Chennai, Jaipur and Delhi in a revamped format that aims to bring fresh impetus to the sport.

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Here's everything you need to know about PKL 12:

What's all this about new formats?

PKL 12 is arguably the biggest revamp in the history of the league, effectively resetting the competition as we know it. There are four big major changes -- a shortened league, the removal of tied games, the points structure, and the playoff route.

First up, the shortened league: With injuries rearing their head in PKL 11, the league has opted for a shortened league season, going from 132 league stage games to 108 overall. Each of the 12 teams used to play 22 games but will now play 18 league stage games.

The games themselves will now have a winner and a loser, with ties ceasing to exist. Dabang Delhi, who tied four games last season, will heave a sigh of relief as had they won those four ties, they would have won the league stage. If a game is tied at the end of regular time, PKL have introduced a concept called Golden Raid -- akin to a Super Over in the IPL. It is a five-raid shootout where only points scored count (no outs/revivals).

The points system has also had an overhaul -- gone are the complex 5 / 3 / 1 / 0 points for a win / tie / bonus point / loss. Instead PKL 12 will have two points for a win and none for a loss.

The playoff route has also seen massive changes. It now offers a team that finishes eighth in the league stage the chance to still win the competition. They'll only have the 'small' task of winning six knockout games in a row to do so --a play-in, three eliminators, a qualifier and a final. In contrast, teams finishing first or second can reach the final in a single knockout game. Here's a graphic that makes it all clear:

What happened in the PKL 12 auction?

The headline was that superstar Mohammadreza Shadloui was bought by Gujarat Giants for a Rs 2+ crore fee, with raiders like Devank Dalal (Rs 2.205 crore to Bengal Warriorz), Ashu Malik (Rs 1.90 crore retained by Dabang Delhi) and Arjun Deshwal (Rs 1.405 crore to Tamil Thalaivas) commanding huge fees.

Here's ESPN's breakdown of every team's auction business.

Who are the favourites this year?

Manpreet Singh's Haryana Steelers are defending champions, but without Mohammadreza Shadloui there are big questions over their defensive nous. The title-winning coach downplayed his departure, saying, "The team is also good compared to last season, with one or two face changes; otherwise, the whole team is the same." Rahul Ahri at left-corner isn't as intimidating as Shadloui however, but handing raiding duties to Naveen 'Express' Kumar ought to help.

Patna Pirates have lost the raiding prowess of Devank Dalal but have become a more well-rounded unit with Ankit Jaglan leading their defence. If Ayan Lohchab improves on his promise, he could be the raider to lead Patna to the title. The Bengal Warriorz and Gujarat Giants have bet big on Devank and Shadloui, but there is a case to be made for them being too dependent on those players.

Dabang Delhi could also prove dark horses as they welcome Ashu Malik and Fazel Atrachali to their squad. Puneri Paltan's captain fantastic Aslam Inamdar is back from injury, and given how settled their squad has been, they could return to the top step of the podium once more.

Out with the old, in with the new

Pardeep Narwal's retirement, prominent coaches like Ram Mehar Singh and Randhir Singh Sehrawat being without teams have made it clear that the league is moving on from its founding generation.

Teams like U Mumba are focusing on fostering next-gen superstars, as are Bengaluru Bulls, with coach BC Ramesh saying, "On the raiding front, players like Naveen, Mohit, Aslam, Pawan, and Pardeep have come through New Young Players Program (NYP) and became superstars. I was looking for a left raider, which is hard to find, and Akash Shinde stood out. We also found Aashish Malik and Ganesh during the NYP trials in Bangalore. Overall, I expect a good team performance."

Defence to reign supreme again?

The Haryana Steelers romped to the title last year on the back of a stunning defensive performance, with teams like the Bengaluru Bulls and Puneri Paltan following their lead for PKL 12. Ajay Thakur, Puneri Paltan confirmed as much, saying "Defence wins matches. I believe that whichever team has a strong defence, that team becomes the champion."

However, with the format favouring raiding in terms of Golden Raids deciding games in case of a tie, teams with excellent raiding departments could profit in the league - especially in the knockout stages.

Rivalries renewed

Devank Dalal's battle with Manpreet Singh is set to continue, as their war of words last season culminated in the raider losing out on the kabaddi mat. Despite changing teams, Devank has trained his sights firmly on the Steelers once more, which will only add to the drama surrounding the league.

PKL remains a television-first product

With signs of viewer fatigue over a long PKL 11 season, the league has opted to revise their broadcast strategy as well. Viewers will now have access to dugout cameras and a referee body-cam as well -- with JioHotstar providing split screen viewing with live action.

It's all set for one of the most exciting seasons in memory, as PKL 12 makes its bow.