Pro Kabaddi 2019: 3 defenders who you might not know played for the Telugu Titans
Telugu Titans have always had one of the most star-studded line-ups in the Pro Kabaddi League. The franchise has hosted big-match players like Rahul Chaudhari, Deepak Niwas Hooda, Meraj Sheykh, Sukesh Hegde and many more stars. However, the Titans have never been able to reach the final of a single season.
In the first season of PKL, the Telugu Titans missed out on a semifinal berth but came back strong in the second edition to finish in third place after a heartbreaking loss to Bengaluru Bulls in the semifinal.
They finished fifth in season three before finishing second in season four, but their campaign in the knockouts was halted by the Jaipur Pink Panthers.
Telugu Titans did not fare well in season five and season six. The major reason behind the team's repeated failures was their poor defense unit. While it is a fact that raiders bring about points, defenders do win teams matches and the lack of consistent shows in the defensive unit hurt the Titans.
As we look forward to yet another season of Pro Kabaddi, we have a look at three big names that you might not know were once a part of the Telugu Titans defense unit.
#3 Sandeep Dhull
Left corner defender Sandeep Dhull made his PKL debut in the third season. Dabang Delhi picked him in the auctions back in season three and the young lad impressed with 32 tackle points from 10 matches, including two High-5s.
Delhi released Dhull as the young defender was signed by the Telugu Titans for season 4. The diving thigh hold specialist represented the Titans in 12 matches and he finished the season with 35 tackle points. Though he had an average of 2.91 tackle points per match, Dhull once scored 8 tackle points in one match to stamp his authority.
Telugu Titans released him ahead of season 5. The Jaipur Pink Panthers bought him for a price of ₹66 lakh in the season 6 auction and the move worked wonders as Dhull picked up 67 points from 22 matches and finished as the league's fifth best defender.
For season seven, Sandeep Dhull will continue to represent the Pink Panthers.