Pro Kabaddi: Best Debutant 7 of PKL 10
Pro Kabaddi Season 10 ended last Friday (March 1). Puneri Paltan became the new PKL champions by defeating Haryana Steelers in a thrilling final match at the GMC Balayogi Sports Complex.
The young blood of Puneri Paltan brought its 'A' game to the table as the likes of Aslam Inamdar, Mohit Goyat, Pankaj Mohite, and Mohammadreza Shadloui lifted the Pro Kabaddi championship for the first time. Even Haryana Steelers performed well, but their defense let the team down in the most important game of the season.
Like every PKL season, there were a lot of exciting young talents on display in Pro Kabaddi 10. Now that the competition has culminated, here's a look at the best playing VII featuring debutants only.
Center - Nitin Kumar, Bengal Warriors
Nitin Kumar was the find of the season for the Bengal Warriors. Over the last few seasons, Maninder Singh had full responsibility of Bengal's raid attack, but this season, he got some fine support from young Nitin.
Playing his first PKL season, Nitin finished with 169 points in just 20 matches. He maintained an impressive average of 8.45 points per game. Notably, the Bengal Warriors star earned eight Super 10s this season.
Left In - Shivam Patare, Haryana Steelers
Haryana Steelers unearthed a new talent in Shivam Patare. The left raider attained the 16th position in the Most Raid Points list by scoring 116 raid points in 23 matches of PKL 10.
Patare stole the show in the Eliminator match against Gujarat Giants, where he got the better of Fazel Atrachali on multiple occasions. His speed and agility make Patare one of the best debutants of PKL 10.
Right In - Sudhakar M, Patna Pirates
Patna Pirates coach Narender Redu showed faith in young talents this season, and the youngsters took the three-time champions to the semifinals. Young raider Sudhakar M played a big role in Patna's success.
In just 19 matches, Sudhakar scored 103 raid points, attaining the 20th spot on the raiders' leaderboard. He recorded three Super 10s and executed two super raids during the season.
Right Corner - Yogesh Dahiya, Dabang Delhi KC
In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda back in December, Dabang Delhi KC coach Rambir Singh Khokhar made a bold prediction for debutant Yogesh Dahiya. The coach said that Dahiya would be among the top 3 defenders of PKL 10.
The youngster repaid the faith shown in him by finishing third on the Most Tackle Points list. In his debut PKL season, the right corner defender troubled the raiders a lot and ended with 74 tackle points in 23 games.
Left Corner - Ankit Jaglan, Patna Pirates
As mentioned earlier, Patna Pirates coach Narender Redu entrusted youngsters with some important responsibilities in Pro Kabaddi Season 10. One of the youngsters was left corner defender, Ankit Jaglan.
Patna raised many eyebrows when they bid more than ₹30 lakh to sign Ankit from Category D in the Pro Kabaddi auction. But the youngster's performance proved that Patna's decision was a masterstroke. Ankit scored 66 tackle points in 23 matches and finished 11th on the defenders' leaderboard.
Right Cover - Milad Jabbari, Telugu Titans
Iranian defender Milad Jabbari impressed straightaway in his debut Pro Kabaddi season. It wasn't the best PKL season for the Telugu Titans, but they found a great defender in the form of Milad.
The right cover defender scored 35 points in 13 matches. He registered two High 5s and pulled off seven super tackles during the Pro Kabaddi tournament.
Left Cover - Parteek Dahiya
Bengaluru Bulls did not have a good season as well, but they discovered a talented left cover in Parteek Dahiya. Playing his first Pro Kabaddi League, Parteek earned 27 points in 13 games for the Bengaluru-based franchise.
He recorded six tackle points in a match against eventual champions Bengaluru Bulls, which shows his talent. The left cover defender also pulled off four super tackles in the tournament.