PKL Auction 2021: 3 players Bengaluru Bulls could target
Bengaluru Bulls had a fairly successful campaign in Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 7 that saw them go all the way up to the semifinals. Charged up and ready to go, BGB will be looking to bulldoze their opponents out of the way in Season 8.
Ahead of the PKL Auction 2021, Bengaluru Bulls retained superstars Pawan Kumar Sehrawat and Amit Sheoran from the Elite Players list. Saurabh Nandal, Banty and Mohit Sehrawat were the three Existing New Young Players retained by the the side.
Bengaluru Bulls released some of its top performers from the previous season, including skipper Rohit Kumar and the adept defender Mahender Singh.
As the Season 6 champions look to lay their hands on the trophy once again, here are three players that the Bengaluru Bulls might target at the PKL Auction 2021:
#3 Baldev Singh
Baldev Singh was part of the title-winning Bengal Warriors side in Season 7. The right corner defender was in top form, finishing with the fifth-most tackle points.
With 66 tackle points under his belt from 24 games, Singh played a crucial part in his team's success. The 23-year-old would fit in well at the Bengaluru Bulls side. The prospect of Sheoran and Singh manning the two corners would be a very promising spectacle.
#2 Shrikant Jadhav
Shrikant Jadhav is an astute raider who plays for the Railways on the domestic circuit. A consistent player, he's kept improving since his breakout PKL Season 5 with U Mumba.
During the following campaign, with U.P. Yoddha, the swift raider had another terrific run and was someone his captain could depend on in pressure situations. Jadhav repaid the skipper's trust by scoring 43 raid points in do-or-die raids and was labeled a 'do-or-die specialist'.
The 25-year-old averaged just under seven raid points per match in Season 7 and the Bengaluru Bulls might consider him during the PKL Auction to play the role of second-fiddle to Pawan Seharawat. Jadhav is a left-raider and would perfectly complement the right-raiding Seharawat.
#1 Deepak Niwas Hooda
Deepak Niwas Hooda is arguably one of the best all-rounders in PKL history. The Indian National Kabaddi Team skipper has been sensational in recent editions of the Pro Kabaddi League.
Hooda was the most successful all-rounder in both Season 6 and 7. However, following Pink Panthers' failure to qualify for the playoffs in both seasons, the team management has decided to overhaul their side.
The all-rounder was seen in action for Rajasthan in the recently held 68th Senior National Kabaddi Championship, and finished as the third-highest raid points scorer in the tournament.
Along with his raiding capabilities, Hooda chips in with some valuable points in the defense as well. With the Bengaluru Bulls having released their star cover defender Mahender Singh, Hooda is more than capable of playing in that position.