Latest news with #Season12PlayerAuction
Hans India
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Hans India
PKL Season 12: Tamil Thalaivas seek revival with revamped squad under new head coach
Chennai: After two consecutive seasons of league-stage exits, Tamil Thalaivas will look for a fresh start in a bid for their maiden Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) title in Season 12, starting on August 29. Since making their Pro Kabaddi debut in 2017, the Thalaivas have qualified for the Playoffs only once in Season 9 (2022). Under a dual-coach system involving Udayakumar as head coach and Dharmaraj Cheralathan as strategy coach, the Thalaivas registered eight wins in 22 matches to finish ninth in the PKL Season 11 standings. Ahead of PKL Season 12, the Thalaivas released both coaches, Udayakumar and Dharmaraj Cheralathan, after their underwhelming Season 11 campaign. The Chennai-based team has roped in two-time PKL title-winning coach Sanjeev Baliyan, who previously led Patna Pirates to victory in Season 3 and Jaipur Pink Panthers in Season 9. They also appointed Suresh Kumar as their assistant coach to return to a traditional coaching structure. Despite failing to qualify for the PKL Playoffs last season, the Thalaivas retained most of their core squad prior to the Season 12 Player Auction. They have further signed five new players at the auction to assemble a strong squad for a total amount of Rs 4.973 crore. With that said, let's take a closer look at the Thalaivas' strengths and weaknesses ahead of PKL Season 12. Tamil Thalaivas will undoubtedly possess one of the strongest raiding units in the upcoming edition of the Pro Kabaddi League. At the PKL Season 12 Player Auction, the Thalaivas strengthened their squad by acquiring the services of Raid Machine, Arjun Deshwal, for a whopping Rs 1.405 crore. Considered to be one of the top raiders in the league, the former Jaipur Pink Panthers captain has already accumulated 1,174 raid points in 114 games in his illustrious PKL career. He will bring wealth of experience to the Thalaivas' setup. Additionally, the Thalaivas signed former Telugu Titans skipper Pawan Sehrawat for Rs 59.50 lakh to bolster their raiding department. Nicknamed the 'Hi-Flyer', all-rounder Sehrawat has amassed 1,318 raid points and 70 tackle points in 139 matches since making his PKL debut in Season 3. The Thalaivas have also retained Moein Shafaghi and Narender Kandola, who were their standout raiders last season. While Iranian all-rounder Moein racked up 103 raid points, Narender contributed with 82 raid points in Season 11. The likes of Vishal Chahal (right raider), Dhiraj Ravindra Bailmare, Yogesh Yadav, Abhiraj Manoj Pawar (left raider) and Rohit Kumar Beniwal (left raider) are the other attacking options in the squad. It will be interesting to see how the Thalaivas' defence rises to the challenge in PKL Season 12. While they have captain Sagar Rathee, Nitesh Kumar, new recruits Alireza Khalili, Mohit and Suresh Jadhav in the corner positions, one of the biggest weaknesses that the Thalaivas may have to deal with is the lack of top players in their cover positions. The Thalaivas have Ronak and Tarun as their right covers, while retaining the likes of Anuj Kaluram Gawade and Aashish in the left cover positions. While they may lack extensive PKL experience, this season will be their chance to prove their mettle. With an aim to clinch their first-ever PKL trophy, the Thalaivas have appointed Sanjeev Baliyan, one of the most successful head coaches in the league's history, as their new head coach. Sanjeev Baliyan boasts a brilliant coaching record in the PKL, winning titles with Patna Pirates in Season 3 and Jaipur Pink Panthers in Season 9. Under Baliyan's guidance, the Pink Panthers have also qualified for the PKL Playoffs in the previous three seasons before ending his stint after PKL Season 11. He will have the opportunity to script history and guide the Thalaivas to the PKL Season 12 glory. Meanwhile, Pawan Sehrawat will be aiming to regain his top form after struggling with injuries in the previous seasons. In Season 11, the veteran all-rounder played 13 matches for Telugu Titans and was later sidelined after succumbing to an unfortunate injury. Earlier, representing the Thalaivas, Pawan suffered a knee injury in PKL 9 season opener against Gujarat Giants in November 2022. He was ruled out of the tournament and had undergone surgery for the same. After rejoining the Thalaivas at the PKL Season 12 Player Auction, Pawan will be hoping to repay their faith with some match-winning performances and an injury-free campaign. A lot of how the Tamil Thalaivas' season unfolds could depend on the form of Nitesh Kumar and captain Sagar Rathee. Right corner Sagar and left corner Nitesh are the experienced defenders in the Thalaivas' setup for the upcoming PKL Season 12. With 77 tackle points in 22 games, Nitesh was their standout defender last season as he finished with the third-most tackle points in Season 11. He will need to continue his brilliant form in the forthcoming season. However, Sagar will be returning after playing just a solitary game in PKL Season 11. The talented right corner missed the majority of last season due to an injury. While Sagar has accumulated 226 tackle points in 71 matches, there will be some injury concerns heading into the new season. Just like Sagar, Pawan Sehrawat has suffered multiple injuries that have sidelined him from games in recent seasons, including nine matches last campaign. Any further injury to Pawan in Season 12 could put huge pressure on the likes of Arjun Deshwal and Narender Kandola in the Thalaivas' raiding department.
India Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
Dabang Delhi K.C. aim to recapture PKL title as post-Naveen Kumar era begins
Pro Kabaddi League Season 8 champions Dabang Delhi K.C. will be eager to reclaim the PKL title after crashing out in the semi-finals last season. They have been one of the most consistent teams in recent years and have reached the Playoffs in each of the last six PKL Season 12 will see Dabang Delhi K.C. continue with Joginder Narwal as their head coach. Under his tutelage, Dabang Delhi K.C. was one of the most dominant teams last campaign. With 13 wins in 22 games, the Delhi-based outfit finished second in the PKL Season 11 standings with 81 points, before they went down to Patna Pirates in the Season 12: Schedule Dabang Delhi K.C. were the busiest at the PKL Season 12 Player Auction as they added 16 players in the two-day event. Having spent INR 4.899 crore, Dabang Delhi K.C. assembled a strong squad that covered most of their bases. Here's a closer look at the strengths and weaknesses of Dabang Delhi K.C. ahead of PKL Season Delhi K.C.'s biggest strength has to be the quality and experience of the raiders and defenders in their squad. The Pro Kabaddi Season 8 winners used their Final Bid Match (FBM) card at the PKL Season 12 auction to retain their star raider Ashu Malik for two seasons for a whopping INR 1.90 crore. Dabang Delhi K.C. have added talented raider Neeraj Narwal for INR 32.60 lakh and acquired the services of experienced raider Ajinkya Ashok Pawar for INR 13 lakh at the Dabang Delhi K.C. have roped in Fazel Atrachali, the most successful defender in Pro Kabaddi League history, at the Season 12 Player Auction for his base price of INR 30 lakh. The Iranian left corner is the first player to reach 500 tackle points in Pro Kabaddi League and has already racked up 545 tackle points in 188 games so Delhi K.C. have also snapped up seasoned right cover Surjeet Singh for INR 20 lakh, added Iranian right corner Amir Hossein Bastami for INR 30 lakh, and signed experienced left corner Saurabh Nandal for INR 13 lakh to bolster their defensive unit. WeaknessesWhile Dabang Delhi K.C. have assembled a formidable squad on paper, the departure of their talismanic captain and star raider Naveen Kumar ahead of PKL Season 12 cannot be overlooked. Naveen, who was an integral member of Dabang Delhi K.C since 2018, guided the team to their maiden Pro Kabaddi title in 2022. Representing the franchise, Naveen also won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in back-to-back editions in Season 7 and 8. He earlier forged a successful partnership with Ashu Malik and created havoc in the opposition's defence. Furthermore, Dabang Delhi K.C. may have to deal with the lack of quality all-rounders in their squad in the upcoming season. Amit, Ashish Kumar Sangwan, Naveen and Arkam Shaikh are the only recognised all-rounders in their squad, and they will need to produce impactful performances. OpportunitiesadvertisementPro Kabaddi Season 12 will be a great opportunity for players like Neeraj Narwal, Anil Gurjar, Mohit, Vijay and Akshit to step up and make the most of the chances they could receive in the Dabang Delhi K.C.'s raiding unit. While accomplished raider Ashu Malik will once again lead their attack, he will need support from other talented raiders if Dabang Delhi K.C. are to clinch the PKL Season 12 a below-par campaign with Bengal Warriorz last season, Iranian defender Fazel Atrachali will be hoping to return to his best and guide Dabang Delhi K.C. to PKL glory. ThreatsA lot of how Dabang Delhi K.C.'s season unfolds could also depend on the form of Ashu Malik. Ashu has been one of the leading raiders in the league and has accumulated 538 raid points in the last 46 matches of the previous two squad also lacks quality all-rounders that could pose a significant area of concern to the team's fortunes in the upcoming Pro Kabaddi season. - Ends
News18
06-08-2025
- Sport
- News18
Bengal Warriorz Eyeing Return To Playoffs In Pro Kabaddi League Season 12
Last Updated: Bengal Warriorz aim for PKL Season 12 Playoffs after four league exits. They appointed Naveen Kumar as head coach and acquired standout raider Devank Dalal. Pro Kabaddi League Season 7 champions Bengal Warriorz will aim to return to the PKL Season 12 Playoffs after four consecutive editions of league stage exits. Ahead of Season 12, the Warriorz parted ways with former head coach Prashant Surve after finishing 10th last season with just five wins in 22 matches. They appointed former India international and gold medal-winning coach Naveen Kumar, who led Telugu Titans as head coach in Season 5, as their new head coach, with Praveen Malik as assistant coach for the upcoming season. The Warriorz were busy at the PKL Season 12 Player Auction as they revamped their squad following a few underwhelming campaigns. Here's a closer look at the team's strengths and weaknesses ahead of the new PKL season. Strengths The biggest strength of the Warriorz is likely to be their raiding unit in the Pro Kabaddi Season 12. They bolstered their attack by roping in PKL Season 11's standout raider Devank Dalal for a whopping INR 2.205 crore at the Season 12 Player Auction. Iranian raider Omid Khojasteh Mohammadshah, along with Indian raiders Sushil Kambrekar, Vishwas S, Manprit, Punit Kumar, and Rachit Kumar, will be among the key options in the Warriorz' attack as they look to make their mark in the upcoming season. The Warriorz have also brought back Korean star raider Jang Kun Lee, the Scorpion Kick King, and acquired Himanshu at the auction to further bolster their raiding unit. As far as weaknesses are concerned, the inexperienced defenders could potentially hurt the Warriorz in Season 12. While the Warriorz exercised their Final Bid Match (FBM) options at the auction to retain their star defenders Nitesh Kumar and Mayur Jagannath Kadam for one season each, the PKL Season 7 winners seem to have an inexperienced defensive unit on paper. Additionally, the Warriorz are also short of all-rounders in their PKL Season 12 squad. Shivansh Thakur and the debutant Moolchandra Singh are the two all-rounders in the squad on paper for the forthcoming campaign. The Warriorz have plenty of young talents who will look to impress in the Pro Kabaddi Season 12. After a breakthrough season, Devank will aim to continue his dominance on the mat in the Pro Kabaddi. The young raider earlier took the league by storm as he accumulated 301 raid points in 25 matches in Season 11. Alongside him is Sushil Kambrekar, who showed immense potential last season but had to leave mid-season due to an injury. He'll be looking to redeem himself this time around. Threats As mentioned earlier, the lack of experienced defenders and quality all-rounders could hamper the team's chances of securing a Playoff berth in Pro Kabaddi Season 12. Considering the balance of the squad, the Warriorz could be heavily reliant on the likes of Devank, which might pose a challenge for the franchise. Moreover, if Devank becomes unavailable for any unforeseen reason, it could significantly impact the Warriorz' chances of making the playoffs in PKL Season 12. view comments Location : Mumbai, India, India First Published: August 06, 2025, 18:53 IST News sports Bengal Warriorz Eyeing Return To Playoffs In Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
01-06-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Record-Breaking Mohammadreza Shadloui Shines At PKL 12 Player Auction
Mohammadreza Shadloui created history at the outset after the Season 11's Most Valuable Player was snapped up for INR 2.23 Crores in the very first bid of the evening by Gujarat Giants. The two-time PKL champion is the first player to go for more than INR 2 Crore three times in PKL history. His purchase began a plethora of top signings as Day 1 of the Player Auction saw 10 players crossing the INR 1 Crore mark, setting a new record for PKL. Devank Dalal, who was the Best Raider in PKL 11, joined Shadloui in the 2 Crore category after he was eventually signed by Bengal Warriorz for INR 2.205 Crores, making him the fifth-most expensive player ever in PKL. A highlight of the Player Auction was the use of the new Final Bid Match (FBM) rule which allows teams to buy back their released players by matching the final auction bid price, for either one or two seasons. This FBM rule was used by Dabang Delhi K.C. to bring their star raider Ashu Malik back to the team for INR 1.90 Crores for the next two seasons. Arjun Deshwal, who was signed by Tamil Thalaivas for INR 1.405 Crores, and Yogesh Dahiya, who will join Bengaluru Bulls after being signed for INR 1.125 Crores, were the other top bids from Category A. After Category A saw 5 players bought for more than INR 1 Crore, Category B followed in the same vein. Ankit Jaglan was bought back by Patna Pirates for INR 1.573 Crore with the raise of an FBM card for one season, while Season 8 winner Naveen Kumar was the second-most expensive player in this Category, paid by Haryana Steelers for a price of INR 1.20 Crores. Guman Singh found himself among the Crorepati list yet again, this time being signed by UP Yoddhas for INR 1.073 Crores. Sachin Tanwar and Nitin Kumar rounded out the 10 Crorepatis of the PKL 12 Player Auction, bagging INR 1.058 Crores (Puneri Paltan) and INR 1.002 Crores (Jaipur Pink Panthers) respectively. "Day 1 of the PKL Season 12 Player Auction was a landmark moment, with a record-breaking 10 players crossing the Rs 1 crore mark across Categories A and B - reflecting the continued growth in player value and the league's evolution over the past decade. The introduction of the two-season Final Bid Match (FBM) rule also had an impact, with two teams choosing to retain players for a longer duration - highlighting our commitment to building continuity within squads. We now look forward to Day 2, as the franchisees build their squads for the upcoming season," said Mr. Anupam Goswami, Business Head, Mashal Sports & League Commissioner, Pro Kabaddi League. Listen to the latest songs, only on
News18
01-06-2025
- Sport
- News18
Record 10 Crorepatis Steal The Show On Day 1 Of PKL 12 Player Auction
Last Updated: Shadloui bags INR 2 Cr+ in 3 straight seasons; Dalal joins Bengal Warriorz for INR 2.205 Cr; Ashu Malik, Deepak Singh re-signed on Day 1 of the Player Auction. Mohammadreza Shadloui made history at the start of Season 11 as the Most Valuable Player, securing a record INR 2.23 crore contract with Gujarat Giants in the opening bid. This two-time PKL champion became the first player to command over INR 2 crore three times in PKL history. His acquisition initiated a series of high-value signings, with 10 players exceeding the INR 1 crore mark on Day 1 of the Player Auction, setting a new PKL record. Devank Dalal, the Best Raider of PKL 11, joined Shadloui in the 2 crore club, signed by Bengal Warriors for INR 2.205 crore, making him the fifth-most expensive player in PKL history. A key feature of the Player Auction was the new Final Bid Match (FBM) rule, enabling teams to retain released players by matching the final bid price for one or two seasons. Dabang Delhi K.C. utilised this rule to re-sign star raider Ashu Malik for INR 1.90 crore for the next two seasons. Other notable Category A acquisitions included Arjun Deshwal, signed by Tamil Thalaivas for INR 1.405 crore, and Yogesh Dahiya, joining Bengaluru Bulls for INR 1.125 crore. In Category B, five players commanded bids exceeding INR 1 crore. Ankit Jaglan returned to Patna Pirates for INR 1.573 crore via the one-season FBM card, while Season 8 winner Naveen Kumar became the second-most expensive player in this category, joining Haryana Steelers for INR 1.20 crore. 'Day 1 of the PKL Season 12 Player Auction was a landmark moment, with a record-breaking 10 players crossing the INR 1 crore mark across Categories A and B, reflecting the continued growth in player value and the league's evolution over the past decade. The introduction of the two-season Final Bid Match (FBM) rule also had an impact, with two teams choosing to retain players for a longer duration — highlighting our commitment to building continuity within squads. We now look forward to Day 2 as the franchisees build their squads for the upcoming season," said Mr Anupam Goswami, Business Head, Mashal Sports & League Commissioner, Pro Kabaddi League. First Published: June 01, 2025, 07:23 IST
