3 reasons why Gujarat Giants could win PKL 11
Gujarat Giants have been a part of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) since the fifth edition. Despite being home to some of the best kabaddi players like Sachin Tanwar, Fazel Atrachali, Sunil Kumar, Parvesh Bhainswal, Abozar Mighani, Rohit Gulia, and Rinku Narwal, the Giants have never been able to win the championship.
The Ahmedabad-based franchise came close to winning the title in its first two seasons. However, they finished as runners-up on both occasions. This year, coach Ram Mehar Singh made some big decisions by releasing captain Fazel Atrachali and roping in younger players at the auction.
Overall, the Giants squad seems pretty strong on paper. Ahead of their first match of PKL 11 against the Bengaluru Bulls on October 20, here's a look at the three reasons why they can win their maiden trophy.
#1 Rakesh HS has 2 excellent support raiders by his side in PKL 11
Over the last few seasons, Rakesh HS has been a one-man army for the Gujarat Giants, especially in the raiding unit. Sonu and Parteek Dahiya stepped up in a few games, but apart from that, the Giants' raiding unit was majorly reliant on Rakesh.
This year, Giants' coach Ram Mehar Singh went all out to sign Guman Singh at the auction. Although fans were surprised to see Giants spending ₹1.97 crore for Guman, Ram Mehar explained the reason behind it in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, saying:
"He (Guman Singh) is different compared to everyone. Guman will have the number 1 combination with Parteek Dahiya and Rakesh HS."
The Giants have retained Parteek as well, who can play the third raider's role. It goes without saying that the trio of Parteek, Rakesh, and Guman is among the strongest trio of raiders in PKL 11.
#2 The combination of captain Neeraj Kumar and coach Ram Mehar Singh
Former Patna Pirates skipper Neeraj Kumar moved to the Gujarat Giants ahead of PKL 11. In fact, coach Ram Mehar Singh has even appointed Neeraj as Gujarat's new skipper.
Ram Mehar has a lot of faith in Neeraj's skills. When a player gets so much support from the coach, he goes the extra mile to win matches for the team. Neeraj is an incredibly talented defender and a seasoned leader. Considering he has worked with Ram Mehar in the past, this captain-coach duo can work wonders for the Giants.
#3 'X-factor' Mohammad Nabibakhsh
Iranian all-rounder Mohammad Nabibakhsh was instrumental in Bengal Warriorz' only championship win in 2019. Although Nabibakhsh has not won the PKL trophy after that, his team reached the final in season nine and qualified for playoffs in season 10.
A player like Nabibakhsh provides the perfect balance to the playing seven with his all-round brilliance. If Nabibakhsh regains his golden touch in raiding, the Gujarat Giants will be an unstoppable force in season 11.
Nabibakhsh did not have a great season with the Giants in 2023-24, where he earned only 28 points. However, the team management has offered him another contract because of his extraordinary talent. The Iranian star will be keen to justify the faith shown in him.