Pro Kabaddi 2021: Predicting the playing 7 for Dabang Delhi KC
Dabang Delhi KC reached the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) final in 2019 for the first time but went down against the Bengal Warriors. Having missed out on a golden opportunity to put their hands on the PKL trophy, the Delhi franchise will be keen to make amends this time.
They have retained their rising star Naveen Kumar ahead of the PKL Auction 2021 and built a fresh squad around him. The Dabangs will have a much more experienced squad this year, with several seasoned pros having joined the franchise at the auction.
As Dabang Delhi KC gear up to meet Puneri Paltan in their first PKL 2021 match on December 23, here's a look at their predicted playing seven for this season.
Left Corner - Joginder Narwal (Dabang Delhi KC Captain)
Veteran Indian defender Joginder Narwal will lead Dabang Delhi KC in Pro Kabaddi 2021. Narwal has been fantastic for Delhi the last two seasons, scoring a total of 100 points.
The Delhi-based franchise will hope their captain leads them to their first PKL title in the eighth season.
Left In - Ajay Thakur
Former Tamil Thalaivas captain Ajay Thakur moved to Dabang Delhi KC at the Pro Kabaddi 2021 auction. Thakur has a ton of experience under his belt, and his presence will benefit the Dabangs a lot.
For the record, the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup winner has played 115 PKL matches and earned 811 points, registering 29 Super 10s.
Left Cover - Manjeet Chhillar
Manjeet Chhillar is another former Tamil Thalaivas star to have joined Dabang Delhi KC ahead of the Pro Kabaddi 2021 season. Chillar was the best defender in the first PKL season.
He has struggled with injuries of late, but the veteran all-rounder will be keen to remain fit and win matches for Dabang Delhi KC in PKL 2021.
Center - Vijay
Dabang Delhi KC retained their all-rounder Vijay ahead of the PKL Auction 2021. Vijay played an important role in Delhi's journey to their maiden PKL final in 2019.
The all-rounder scored 48 raid points and 13 tackle points in 22 matches. Vijay will look forward to bringing his 'A' game to the table at Pro Kabaddi 2021.
Right Cover - Jeeva Kumar
Another experienced campaigner who moved to Dabang Delhi KC ahead of PKL 8 is Jeeva Kumar. The former U Mumba defender has been exceptional in the right-cover position.
With Manjeet Chhillar and Jeeva Kumar as the two cover defenders, the opposition raiders will find it extremely challenging to score points against Delhi.
Right In - Naveen Kumar
As mentioned ahead, the Dabangs have retained Naveen Kumar. The young raider was one of three players to score more than 300 points in PKL 2019.
After winning the MVP award last season, Naveen will aim to end Delhi's championship drought in PKL 2021.
Check out the updated Pro kabaddi points table here.
Right Corner - Sandeep Narwal
Former U Mumba defender Sandeep Narwal switched to Dabang Delhi KC at the PKL Auction 2021. The Delhi-based franchise signed him for a whopping ₹60 lakh at the auction.
Sandeep is one of few players to score more than 300 tackle points and over 200 raid points. He will add a lot more balance to the Delhi squad.