Pro Kabaddi 2022: 3 players Puneri Paltan may retain for PKL 9
Puneri Paltan qualified for the playoffs in Pro Kabaddi 2022 but could not make it to the semifinals as they lost to UP Yoddha in the Eliminator match. The Pune-based franchise finished sixth in the Pro Kabaddi points table, registering 12 wins in 22 matches.
Coach Anup Kumar would be happy with the team's performance as they were outside the top six for a major part of the Pro Kabaddi 2022 season. Fans had high expectations from the likes of Rahul Chaudhari, Nitin Tomar and Baldev Singh, but the youngsters in the squad outshone them.
Now that Puneri Paltan's PKL 8 season has ended, in this listicle, we will look at the three names they may retain for the ninth edition of the Pro Kabaddi League.
#1 Aslam Inamdar
Aslam Inamdar was one of the finds of the season for Puneri Paltan. Coach Anup Kumar would be delighted with the way the youngster shouldered the raiding responsibilities this season. Inamdar is currently ninth on the Most Raid Points list with 169 raid points from 23 matches.
The youngster also contributed his bit to the defensive unit with 20 tackle points this season. Shedding some more light on his stats, Aslam Inamdar scored five Super 10s and executed seven super raids for Puneri Paltan.
Aslam was not present in the playing seven initially, but at the end of the season, he was the most successful raider. Thus, it will be a mistake to release him ahead of the next PKL Auction.
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#2 Mohit Goyat
Mohit Goyat was another raider who did not receive a spot in the playing seven of Puneri Paltan's first match of Pro Kabaddi 2022, but by the time the season ended, he was one of the two lead raiders of the team.
Goyat formed an excellent combination with Aslam Inamdar that helped the Pune-based franchise qualify for the playoffs. The rising star is in the top 10 of the raiders' leaderboard with 159 raid points from 21 matches.
Like Inamdar, Goyat contributed to the defense as well. He chipped in with 28 tackle points, including a High 5. Both Inamdar and Goyat could be long-term assets for Puneri Paltan if backed by the Pro Kabaddi team management.
#3 Sombir
Sombir was the most successful defender from Puneri Paltan team in Pro Kabaddi 2022. The right corner defender formed an impressive combination with Vishal Bharadwaj and brought some stability to the defense in the final phase of the league round.
Sombir holds the seventh position on the Most Tackle Points right now with 60 tackle points from 19 matches. Considering that he registered five High 5s and executed six super tackles in the Puneri Paltan jersey, the Pune-based franchise should offer him another contract.
Apart from the three names mentioned on the list, Puneri Paltan could consider retaining Nitin Tomar and Vishal Bharadwaj. Vishal performed decently in the left corner position, while Tomar's leadership was of top quality.