Pro Kabaddi League 2022, Gujarat Giants vs Bengaluru Bulls: 3 player battles to watch out for
The second eliminator in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 8 will be a mouth-watering contest featuring the Bengaluru Bulls and the Gujarat Giants. The reason this match will be a delight for kabaddi fans to watch is because of the set of players involved.
The Bulls have one of the most exciting raiders in PKL, Pawan Sehrawat. On the other hand, there is a formidable defensive unit in Gujarat, consisting of the troika of Sunil Kumar, Parvesh Bhainswal, and Girish Maruti Ernak.
But there is a strong supporting cast as well. Bharat has emerged as a great foil for Pawan and will be a key player for his Pro Kabaddi team. Gujarat will be hoping that their raiders such as Rakesh, Mahendra Rajput and Ajay Kumar can fire as well. Aman and Saurabh Nandal will be the main defenders for the Bulls.
On that note, let’s look at the three most important player battles that will play out in this match.
Pawan Sehrawat (Bengaluru Bulls) vs Sunil Kumar (Gujarat Giants)
Sehrawat’s high-flying skills are well-known. The job of stopping him would be shared by the entire defensive unit of Bengaluru. But Sunil Kumar would be the key among them.
It’s possible that Sunil, often in the right corner, will attack him. He could try and dash Sehrawat out or trap him by coming around him.
Pawan’s ability to leap over the defenders and Sunil’s expertise in grabbing hold of attackers will collide. This contest will be key in deciding the outcome of this match.
Click here to view the most raid points in PKL.
Bharat (Bengaluru Bulls) vs Girish Maruti Ernak (Gujarat Giants)
Earlier in the tournament, it was Chandran Ranjit who was seen as Pawan’s main partner in raiding. But now, this responsibility seems to have fallen on Bharat. He has been very impressive so far. A tall and lanky fellow, Bharat uses his height and fleet-footedness very well.
He will have to deal with the enormous challenge of avoiding a tackle from the experienced Girish Maruti of Gujarat Giants, often positioned in the left corner. Here, a mighty battle can take place between these two players.
When Girish gets hold of a player, it is difficult for him to escape. But with Bharat’s height and quickness, it could be very possible. Watch out for this duel.
Rakesh (Gujarat Giants) vs Aman (Bengaluru Bulls)
In the last few matches, Rakesh has emerged as one of the most dependable raiders for his team. With a good defense at the back, it will be his responsibility to put Bengaluru under pressure with his raids. Rakesh's main rival in this match could be Aman in the left corner.
Since every point will matter, there will be attempts to get bonus points from Rakesh as well. In such situations, Aman will try and grab the leg of the raiders.
If Aman has a good match, that would boost Bulls’ chances immensely. But Rakesh has the skills and would know how to dodge him and others.