Pro Kabaddi 2024: List of all retained and released players by Bengal Warriors ft. Maninder Singh, Nitin Kumar
As the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) prepares for its 11th season, Bengal Warriors, like other franchises, have announced their list of retained and released players ahead of the PKL 2024 Auction.
The franchise has made strategic decisions to retain a strong core of players while releasing some prominent names, including their star raider Maninder Singh.
Bengal Warriors, who finished seventh in the previous season (PKL 10) and failed to qualify for the playoffs, have retained a total of five players across different categories. These players are expected to be the backbone of the team as they aim to build a stronger unit for the upcoming season.
In the Elite Retained Players (ERP) category, the franchise has retained two key players: Vishwas S and Nitin Kumar. Both players have shown consistency and skill, making them invaluable assets to the team. Nitin Kumar, in particular, was a standout performer in PKL 10, scoring 169 raid points with an impressive average of 8.45 raid points per match. His contributions included eight Super 10s and four Super raids, making him one of the most reliable raiders for Bengal Warriors.
In addition to the elite players, the Warriors have also retained a group of young talents under the Existing New Young Players (ENYP) category. Shreyas Umbardand, Aditya S. Shinde, Dipak Arjun Shinde, and Maharudra Garje are the young guns who will continue to don the Bengal Warriors jersey. These players represent the future of the franchise, and their development will be crucial for the team’s success in the long run.
While the Warriors have retained a solid core, they have also made the tough decision to release several players, including some big names. The most notable exit is that of Maninder Singh, who has been a key player for Bengal Warriors over the years. In PKL 10, Maninder scored 197 raid points with an average of 9.38 raid points per game. He also recorded nine Super 10s and five Super Raids.
With the retention of these five key players, they seem to have set the foundation for their team in Season 11. However, the franchise will now turn its attention to the PKL 2024 Player Auction, scheduled for August 15 and 16, where they will aim to fill the gaps left by the released players. The auction will be crucial as they look to build a squad capable of challenging for the PKL title once again.
A total of 88 players across three categories: Elite Retained Players, Retained Young Players, and Existing New Young Players, were retained by all teams ahead of the auction.
Bengal Warriors: Retained Players List
Elite Retained Players: Vishwas S, Nitin Kumar
Existing New Young Players: Shreyas Umbardand, Aditya S. Shinde, Dipak Arjun Shinde, Maharudra Garje
Bengal Warriors: Released Players List
Released Players: Maninder Singh, Shubham Shinde, Nitin Rawal, Akshay Bhior, Akshay Kumar, Shrikant Jadhav, Akshay Bodake, Prashant Kumar, Aslam Saja, R Guhan, Syoug Gikar, Chai Ming Chang