Pro Kabaddi 2022: 5 most impressive debuts this season
Pro Kabaddi 2022 ended last Friday in Bengaluru with a thrilling final between Patna Pirates and Dabang Delhi KC. Naveen Kumar and Vijay's heroics inspired Delhi to their maiden PKL triumph.
Dabang Delhi had a very experienced squad this season. Almost all players who featured in their starting seven have been a part of the PKL for at least three seasons.
While Delhi relied on experience, some of the other franchises showed faith in youngsters. Quite a few debutants had memorable outings at Pro Kabaddi 2022. On that note, here's a look at the five most impressive debutants in the competition this season:
#1 Rakesh HS, Gujarat Giants
Gujarat Giants qualified for the PKL playoffs for the third time in four seasons. The Ahmedabad-based franchise did not have an established match-winner in their raiding unit. However, debutant Rakesh HS stepped up and delivered the goods for the team.
Playing his first season, he scored 140 raid points in 22 games, registering five Super 10s. He also pulled off four super raids.
#2 Jaideep Dahiya, Haryana Steelers
Haryana Steelers could not make it to the PKL 2022 playoffs, but their young defender Jaideep Dahiya impressed with his performances. He outshone the likes of Surender Nada and Ravi Kumar in defence.
Playing at the cover position, Dahiya scored 66 tackle points during the season. At one point, he topped the Tackle Points leaderboard.
#3 Aslam Inamdar, Puneri Paltan
Aslam Inamdar emerged as a match-winner for Puneri Paltan in Pro Kabaddi 2022. He led the raiding unit well, finishing with 169 raid points, including five Super 10s and seven super raids.
Inamdar also chipped in with tackle points at crucial moments. He scored 20 tackle points for Pune at an average of 0.87 successful tackles per game.
#4 Mohit Goyat, Puneri Paltan
Another all-rounder from Puneri Paltan to feature on the list is Mohit Goyat. The duo of Goyat and Inamdar played a key role in Pune's top-6 finish in Pro Kabaddi 2022.
While Inamdar scored 189 points, Goyat registered 187. Goyat was one of the few players to score a High 5 and a Super 10 during the season.
#5 Mohammadreza Chiyaneh, Patna Pirates
Iranian all-rounder Mohammadreza Chiyaneh joined an elite list of players to have won the Best Defender of the Tournament award in their debut campaign. Playing in the left corner position for Patna Pirates, Chiyaneh scored 89 tackle points in 24 games, registering ten High 5s.
Chiyaneh was the most expensive overseas player at the PKL Auction 2021. Not many knew about his talent, but now he is one of the most popular overseas players in PKL. The Iranian star would be disappointed because his team lost the final by just one point, though.