Pro Kabaddi 2024: 5 players Haryana Steelers might retain before PKL 12 ft. Jaideep Dahiya, Shivam Patare
The Haryana Steelers ended their Pro Kabaddi League championship drought by winning the 11th edition of PKL. The Steelers defeated the Patna Pirates by 32-23 in the PKL 2024 final to become champions for the first time in the tournament's history.
With this victory, Manpreet Singh has finally won his first trophy as a head coach in PKL. Previously, in season three, Manpreet won the championship as the skipper of Patna Pirates. Eight seasons later, Manpreet helped Haryana defeat his former PKL team to become the champions.
In this listicle now, we will look at the five players whom coach Manpreet Singh might prefer retaining for Haryana Steelers ahead of PKL 12.
#1 Haryana Steelers will likely retain Jaideep Dahiya
Captain Jaideep Dahiya did not have the best season as a left cover defender, but he led his side brilliantly throughout the tournament. Jaideep only managed 39 tackle points in 21 matches.
Still, the Steelers might prefer retaining him for the next season because of his brilliant captaincy. Also, it is rare to see a skipper being released immediately after winning the PKL trophy. Thus, the Steelers may keep Jaideep in the squad.
#2 Vinay
Vinay was the best raider of the Steelers squad in the 2024 edition of the Pro Kabaddi League. He attained the seventh position on the overall raiders' leaderboard, having scored 164 raid points in 24 matches.
Shedding some more light on Vinay's performance in PKL 12, the Steelers raider maintained an impressive raid strike rate of 43.65 percent. He registered six Super 10s and also executed five super raids.
#3 Sanjay Dhull
Right cover Sanjay Dhull stepped up and delivered the goods for the Steelers in the absence of Mohit Nandal. Dhull earned 57 tackle points in 24 matches, maintaining a decent average of 2.2 successful tackles per match.
The Haryana defender formed an impressive combination with Jaideep Dahiya at the covers. His four super tackles and two High 5s might tempt the Steelers to retain him for the next season.
#4 Shivam Patare
Underrated star Shivam Patare was the difference-maker in the Pro Kabaddi 2024 Final. While Patare is a specialist raider, he ended up scoring a High 5 in the defense against the Patna Pirates.
Overall, Patare had a fantastic season, where he earned 167 points in 24 matches. The Haryana Steelers will likely offer him another deal after his game-changing performance in the final.
#5 Rahul Sethpal
Right corner defender Rahul Sethpal once again proved himself as the best specialist defender of the Haryana Steelers team. Sethpal earned 73 tackle points in 24 matches, averaging more than three tackle points per match.
The right corner specialist scored four High 5s and also executed seven super tackles. The Steelers had retained him ahead of the 11th season. It should not be a surprise if they retain him for the next edition of PKL as well.
A few fans might be surprised to see Mohammadreza Shadloui absent from this list. However, they should note that the Steelers will likely release him because of his hefty price tag, just like the Puneri Paltan did in 2023/24.