Pro Kabaddi 2022: 5 raiders who flopped in 1st half of PKL 9 but can roar back to form in 2nd half
The first half of Pro Kabaddi 2022 (PKL) culminated earlier this week. All teams have played against each other at least once in the tournament. The second half of the competition is underway now, and it is still very difficult to predict which six teams will qualify for the PKL 9 teams.
Almost all the teams have had ups and downs in Pro Kabaddi 2022. Similarly, players themselves have had ups and downs in terms of personal form. Quite a few youngsters have been impressive this season, while some big names are yet to fire on all cylinders.
In this listicle, we will look at the five star raiders who could not impress much in the first half but can score heaps of points in the remainder of the season.
#1 Chandran Ranjit, Gujarat Giants
Gujarat Giants fans had high hopes from veteran raider Chandran Ranjit when he returned to the franchise at this year's PKL Auction. The Giants also appointed him as their new skipper. However, Ranjit has failed to live up to the expectations.
He has scored only 60 raid points in 11 matches. Rakesh Sangroya has shouldered the raiding unit for Gujarat this year. If Chandran Ranjit supports him better, the Giants can win more matches.
#2 Vikash Khandola, Bengaluru Bulls
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VIKASH KANDOLA, MAGICIAN AT WORK 🪄🥶
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Bengaluru Bulls splurged ₹1.7 crore to sign Vikash Khandola at the Pro Kabaddi 2022 Auction. The Bulls probably saw him as a replacement for Pawan Sehrawat. However, Khandola has not been able to replicate his past performances.
He was the lead raider for Haryana Steelers in the previous seasons, but has played as a secondary raider for the Bulls this season. Bharat Hooda has scored 143 raid points for Bengaluru, while Khandola has only earned 76 raid points.
Khandola will be keen to up his game in the second half and help Bengaluru qualify for the playoffs.
#3 V Ajith Kumar, Jaipur Pink Panthers
V Ajith Kumar joins @JaipurPanthers for 66Lac
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Jaipur Pink Panthers spent ₹66 lakh to rope in former Tamil Thalaivas star V Ajith Kumar. The raider is yet to prove his worth at his new franchise. In 12 matches, he has managed only 32 raid points.
Arjun Deshwal and Rahul Chaudhari will hope for better support from Kumar in the remaining matches.
#4 Monu Goyat, Telugu Titans
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Monu Goyat was once among the top raiders of the Pro Kabaddi League. However, he has struggled to score points in PKL 2022. The Telugu Titans player is not even in the top 30 of the raiders' leaderboard at the moment.
He has earned only 31 raid points in nine matches. Goyat will look to work on his mistakes and make a fantastic comeback in the second half.
#5 Abhishek Singh, Telugu Titans
Abhishek Singh joins @Telugu_Titans for 60Lac
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Abhishek Singh is another Telugu Titans raider to feature on the list. He was the lead raider for U Mumba in the last two seasons, but his numbers have gone down significantly in Pro Kabaddi 2022.
Singh has managed only eight raid points in seven matches. Injury issues troubled him in the initial games, but he featured in the team's playing seven during the recent matches. It will be interesting to see if the Telugu Titans star can turn things around in the second half of Pro Kabaddi 2022.