Ranking Squads ahead of PKL 10
The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL10) is just around the corner and starts on 2 December. The league has been a massive success, now set to have its 10th edition.
The PKL 10 auction in October saw the teams creating their squads for the ultimate showdown. A few sides might look good on paper, but that doesn’t guarantee anything. What happens on matchday depends on how mentally strong the players are on that given day.
On that note, let’s jump in and rank the teams based on their squad ahead of PKL 10.
Ranking Squads ahead of PKL 10
#12 Tamil Thalaivas
Tamil Thalaivas, aiming for their first title in the Pro Kabaddi League, enter the upcoming season with a great deal of hope. The Thalaivas have retained the dynamic raiding duo of Ajinkya Pawar and Narender.
The team has also invested in emerging talents. However, their attack is relatively inexperienced, with only Ajinkya having significant experience. The squad lacks depth in the all-rounder department, with Ritik being the sole all-rounder.
The addition of Iranian defender Mohammadreza Kaboudrahangi presents a good balance to the lineup.
#11 Patna Pirates
Three-time champions Patna Pirates could not replicate their success last season, finishing 10th in the table. The Pirates have made significant changes to their squad in the auction and now appear fresh in PKL 10.
The team boasts of a talented raiding unit with class raiders in Sachin, Manjeet, and Rakesh Narwal. The primary threat for Patna Pirates revolves around the defensive structure. While experienced Neeraj Kumar is present in the right corner, the departure of Shadloui leaves a void that needs urgent filling.
#10 U Mumba
U Mumba enters PKL 10 with a squad that showcases strength in the defensive department but raises concerns in the raiding unit. They have a robust defensive lineup featuring the likes of Surinder Singh, Rinku, Mahender Singh, and Girish Ernak.
Their major challenge is the lack of a leader in the raiding department. They have managed to get back Guman Singh and Jai Bhagwan as their top raiders.
The reliance on Guman and untested Iranian talent in Alireza Mirzaeian could be a problem. However, the addition of another Iranian raider, Haiderali Ekrami, has been a wise choice by U Mumba.
The issue of inconsistent form needs to be addressed for U Mumba for them to make a successful comeback in PKL 10.
#9 Haryana Steelers
Haryana Steelers failed to make it into the playoffs last season and will enter PKL 10 with renewed hopes.
The team's biggest strength lies in its formidable cover defending duo of Mohit Nandal and Jaideep Dahiya. The experienced pair, having played together for multiple seasons, will be the backbone of the Steelers.
On the raiding front, the Steelers have secured the services of 'Bahubali' Siddharth Desai. He will be supported by Chandran Ranjith and Vinay. They look pretty settled regarding raiding, but their challenge will be the lack of experienced corner defenders.
#8 Bengal Warriors
The Bengal Warriors had a very disappointing run last season, finishing in the 11th spot on the table. However, they have crafted a balanced squad this time, hoping to make a solid comeback.
The Warriors aim to make a strong statement in the upcoming campaign by securing their star raider Maninder Singh for ₹2.12 Cr. They also used FBM on Shrikant Jadhav and Shubham Shinde, showing their trust in the two.
They lack a quality defense and are dependent on Shubham. However, this presents an opportunity for the young guys to step up and deliver match-winning performances.
#7 Bengaluru Bulls
The Bengaluru Bulls head into PKL 10 with a squad that boasts of both strengths and areas of concern. The team's strength lies in its settled raiding trio, featuring Bharat Hooda, Vikash Khandola, and Neeraj Narwal.
Additionally, the Bulls can rely on the dependable corner defenders Saurabh Nandal and Aman Antil.
However, the squad faces a notable weakness in the lack of experienced backups for cover defenders. Vishal Lather and Surjeet Singh will likely start as cover defenders, but the absence of reliable backups could pose a challenge.
Young defenders like Sajin Chandrasekhar and Thiyagarajan Yuvaraj must step up in the left corner. They also roped in Krishan Dhull, who had performed decently for Dabang Delhi KC in the last two seasons.
#6 Telugu Titans
Telugu Titans have struggled a lot in PKL recently, finishing as wooden spoon holders for the last two seasons. They enter PKL 10 with a renewed hope of changing their fortunes.
They started that process by roping in one of the best raiders of PKL, Pawan Sehrawat, for a record-breaking amount of ₹2.605 Cr. Rajnish Dalal will play the role of supporting raider to Pawan.
The Titans also retained Parvesh Bhainswal, one of the few positives for them last season. However, they lack the presence of any other experienced defender to back Parvesh. They will have to bank on their young guns to deliver the goods and turn their fortunes.
#5 Gujarat Giants
The Giants didn’t have a great season last year, finishing eighth in the points table. However, they are now under the leadership of a new head coach in Ram Mehar Singh. The Giants have built a squad combining Iranian firepower and fierce Indian players.
The Giants have relied more on experience than youth. They will see the Iranian duo of Fazel Atrachali and Mohammad Nabibakhsh play together. On the Indian front, they have the services of experienced defender Sombir Gulia and raiders Parteek Dahiya and Rakesh HS.
The challenge for them will lie in finding ideal replacements for these players in case of any injuries. The Giants also lack the presence of a star raider who can consistently secure points for them.
#4 Dabang Delhi KC
Dabang Delhi KC have been one of the most consistent teams in PKL. They clinched the title in the eighth edition and have reached the playoffs in the last four seasons. After losing in the Eliminator last season, they will now aim to go ahead and win the trophy in PKL 10.
Delhi boasts of a strong raiding unit led by the prolific 'Naveen Express', Naveen Kumar. The addition of Ashu Malik and Meetu further strengthens the raiding arsenal. They also secured the services of the experienced Vishal Bharadwaj, who initially went unsold in the auction.
Their concern is the absence of a quality all-rounder. Akash Prasher is the only all-rounder in their lineup who lacks PKL experience.
#3 UP Yoddhas
The UP Yoddhas enter PKL 10 with a formidable squad, boasting one of the league's most settled core groups. They have retained their key star players like Nitesh Kumar, Ashu Singh, Surender Gill, and Pardeep Narwal. Including former Dabang Delhi KC raider, Vijay Malik adds the cherry on top for the Yoddhas.
They have managed to maintain a proper balance in their squad with a good mix of experience and youth. The addition of Kenyan all-rounders Helvic Wanjala and Samuel Wafala could prove to be a surprise move by the Yoddhas.
The only point of concern for UP Yoddhas could be probable injuries to a few of their star players like Pardeep and Surender, who struggled with the same last year.
Overall, UP Yoddhas are one of the favorites to clinch the title for the very first time in their history.
#2 Jaipur Pink Panthers
The defending champions, Jaipur Pink Panthers, will be eager to retain their title in PKL 10. The Panthers have managed to retain most of their players with the aim of title defense.
Panthers possess a stable and experienced core group of players who are familiar with each other's playing styles.
The team heavily relies on Arjun Deshwal and V Ajith Kumar as their primary raiders. The waning form of veteran raider Rahul Chaudhari raises concerns about the team's raiding depth.
The team also benefits from including experienced Iranian players Reza Mirbagheri and Amir Maleki. Sahul Kumar, Ankush, and Sunil Kumar will be the backbone of their defense.
The lack of all-rounders in the squad could be a thing to worry about for them, especially in crunch situations.
#1 Puneri Paltan
Puneri Paltan are entering PKL 10 as runners-up to go one step ahead this time. They have an excellent raiding duo in Aslam Inamdar and Mohit Goyat. The team also has good backup options in Pankaj Mohite and Akash Shinde.
Although they lost Fazel Atrachali, including Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh has been their highlight. However, The team lacks a proven defender to partner with Shadloui, putting pressure on players like Abinesh Nadarajan and Sanket Swant.