Hyderabad Pickleball League Auction 2025: Indian sporting stars Sameer Varma, Vishnu Vardhan, and Kidambi Nandagopal were among the marquee players at the Hyderabad Pickleball League (HPL) auction on August 20th, 2025, in Hyderabad. The first-ever HPL season, conceptualised by Centre Court Sports and Entertainment, will begin on October 10th, 2025, bringing franchise-style pickleball to India.
HPL Auction Highlights
The auction at Zero40 Brewing featured eight franchises: All Stars, Credicon Mavericks, Dasos Dynamos, Keerthi Warriors, Nandi Chargers, Starry Smashers, Teramor Titans, and The Raptors. Star players Sameer Varma (All Stars), Sreekar Mothukuri (Credicon Mavericks), Vivek Reddy Priyadarshini (Dasos Dynamos), Zena Chatwal (Keerthi Warriors), Sahithi Ponnala (Nandi Chargers), Harsh Ranasaria (Starry Smashers), Nikhil Thummalapalli (Teramor Titans), and Rishabh Rama (The Raptors) were directly drafted for ₹2 lakhs in Category A before bidding began.
Key Player Selections
All Stars signed former tennis player Veda Raju Prapurna for ₹78K and Akshath for ₹70K. Credicon Mavericks picked Sama Sathwika for ₹85K, Punna Vishal for ₹70K, and also secured Indian tennis player Vishnu Vardhan and Nandagopal, brother of Indian badminton player Kidambi Srikanth. Dasos Dynamos went big on Sowmya Pulumati at ₹82K and Vikram Lagadapati at ₹60K.
Keerthi Warriors secured Bhaskar Paramatmuni for ₹1 lakh, Soli Colah for ₹50K, and 14-year-old Gia Gandhi. Nandi Chargers won Girish Karri at ₹1 lakh. Starry Smashers picked Fayrouz Sousan Zaidi and Ramya Sridhar for ₹1 lakh each. Teramor Titans signed Vijaytej Raju Gangapatnam at ₹1 lakh, Naga Moksha Yerram at ₹75K, and Indian tennis player Theertha Shashank. The Raptors chose Neharika Paramatmuni at ₹1 lakh and Sayam Bothra at ₹90K.
Rules and Structure
Each team selected 10 players, including at least one over 35 years old and a minimum of two female players, ensuring experience and gender balance. The franchises used strategic bidding to balance star power and emerging talent.
Looking Ahead
With teams finalised, the HPL 2025 season promises exciting matches and high-level competition. The league combines regional talent with IPL-style entertainment, aiming to grow pickleball in India and attract fans to the sport.
News in Brief: Hyderabad Pickleball League Auction 2025
The Hyderabad Pickleball League auction on August 20th, 2025, set the stage for the first season starting October 10th. Top players Sameer Varma, Vishnu Vardhan, and Kidambi Nandagopal joined eight franchises. Teams drafted talent across age groups and genders, promising competitive matches and franchise-style entertainment for Indian pickleball fans.
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