Pro Kabaddi League 2019: 2 Veterans who should not have been retained by their franchises
Kabaddi has gained a lot of popularity in India after the introduction of the Pro Kabaddi League.
The tournament has not only offered entertainment to the audience but also given a number of good talented players for the country.
While the Jaipur Pink Panthers, U Mumba, and the Patna Pirates were amongst the title winners in the first five editions, the Bengaluru Bulls clinched their maiden title in PKL Season 6.
Pro Kabaddi League 7 is set to start in the month of July this year. With the auctions for the new season done, the teams look all set to battle it out for the coveted title.
Earlier, in March, the teams announced the list of players who had been retained by them ahead of the upcoming auctions.
While the list was studded with star-players, there were a number of surprises too. Although experience is an asset in any game, Kabaddi also involves more about dynamics and flexibility.
It may not be a wise idea to spend big on them and rather purchase the experienced players at lower prices in the auction.
On that note, here is a list of 2 veterans who should not have been retained by their franchises
Manjeet Chhillar - Tamil Thalaivas
Former captain of the Indian Team, Manjeet Chhillar, is one of the best Kabaddi players who has represented our country.
The veteran is capable of influencing the game in a span of a few minutes with his skills both as a raider and as a defender. It should also be of note that Manjeet is a great leader on the mat.
Manjeet Chhillar has already showcased his talent in the previous seasons and is a good player to have in the team. However, the veteran all-rounder's form has dipped in the past two seasons.
Having represented the Bengaluru Bulls, Jaipur Pink Panthers and the Puneri Paltan in the past, Manjeet Chhillar was picked up by Tamil Thalaivas for the Season 6. He has been retained by the team for the upcoming season too.
However, considering the player's current form and age, the team would have been better off by investing in youth at the auctions.
Retaining a player is costly and having already retained an aging player in Ajay Thakur, Tamil Thalaivas should have let go of Manjeet. They could have also purchased him for a lower price at the auctions just the way they brought him the previous season.
Joginder Narwal - Dabang Delhi
Dabang Delhi has decided to retain Meraj Sheykh and Joginder Narwal ahead of the upcoming auctions. Although they had a number of other options to consider, Dabang Delhi has gone ahead with captain Joginder Narwal as one of the retained players.
Joginder Narwal is definitely one of the best defenders that India has seen and the experienced player has proved his credentials in PKL with U Mumba and Bengaluru Bulls in the past.
However, the 36-year-old has obtained fewer tackle points in the recent seasons and with age catching up, it might be difficult to be his previous self in the upcoming season.
Also, a retained player would eat up a lot in a team's purse and with the team could have been better off by trying to purchase Joginder at a lower price in the auctions or by using the RTM.
Dabang Delhi could have gone in with a bigger purse to the auctions. They can now only hope that Joginder comes good in the upcoming season.