PKL Season 12 Play-In 1 Preview: Haryana Steelers vs Jaipur Pink Panthers – Jaideep's Defence Faces Nitin Kumar's Brilliance

Defending champions Haryana Steelers clash with inconsistent Jaipur Pink Panthers in Play-In 1 of PKL 12, as the league's most dominant defensive unit meets a resurging raiding attack. Jaideep's phenomenal form and record-breaking tackle tally face the ultimate test against Nitin Kumar's explosive post-injury brilliance, whilst Vinay and Shivam Patare's formidable raiding unit meets a fragile Jaipur defence in a battle of contrasting fortunes.

Probable Starting 7

Haryana Steelers vs Jaipur Pink Panthers

Position	Haryana Steelers	Jaipur Pink Panthers
Right Corner	Rahul Sethpal	Deepanshu Khatri
Right In	Shivam Patare	Ali Samadi
Right Cover	Neeraj	Aashish
Centre	Sahil Narwal	Nitin Kumar
Left Cover	Jaideep (C)	Reza Mirbhageri
Left In	Vinay	Sahil
Left Corner	Hardeep	Aryan Kumar

Headlines

➢ Haryana Steelers' Steadfast Defence Face Panthers' Nitin Kumar and Ali Samadi

➢ Jaideep Leading the Steelers' Defence with Rahul in Support

➢ Battle of Two Stalwart Coaches – Both Adept in Managing Playoffs – Manpreet vs Redhu

➢ Vinay and Shivam Patare to Lead Steelers' Raiding

➢ Panthers' Defence Needs to Be at Their Best to Face Steelers' Onslaught

➢ Panthers Won the Previous Meetup Between These Two in the League Stages by a Point – Can Expect a Very Exciting Encounter

Top Stories of the Match

Haryana Steelers' Steadfast Defence Face Panthers' Nitin Kumar and Ali Samadi

• Haryana Steelers possess the third-best average tackle points in PKL 12, maintaining defensive excellence across the season.

Best Average Tackle Points in PKL 12

Team	Average Tackle Points	Tackle Success Rate
Puneri Paltan	12.1	47%
U Mumba	11.9	46%
Haryana Steelers	11.9	45%

• Haryana Steelers' defensive performance in their final five matches has been exceptional, recording above 50% tackle success rate in four consecutive fixtures with over 10 tackle points in every match.

Haryana Steelers Defence – Last Five Matches

Opponent	Tackles	Tackle Points	Tackle SR%
VS Telugu Titans	26	14	54%
VS Gujarat Giants	28	12	43%
VS U Mumba	32	19	59%
VS UP Yoddhas	25	19	76%
VS Patna Pirates	26	17	65%

• A clear correlation exists between defensive performance and overall team success, with Haryana Steelers demonstrating a tackle success rate exceeding 50% in all victories.
• Jaideep has emerged as Haryana Steelers' premier defender, recording the highest tackle success rate of his career at 67% this season – surpassing all previous campaigns.

Jaideep Season-by-Season Performance

Season	Tackle Points	Tackle SR%
PKL 12	67	67%
PKL 8	66	55%
PKL 10	68	51%

• Jaideep dominates PKL 12's defensive statistics, boasting the league's highest tackle point tally and an exceptional average of 3.7 tackle points per match.

Most Tackle Points in PKL 12

Player	Tackle Points
Jaideep	67
Nitesh Kumar	65
Deepak Sankar	59

• Jaideep has also recorded the most super tackles this season by a considerable margin, with 13 super tackles – more than double the next-best defender.

Most Super Tackles in PKL 12

Player	Super Tackles
Jaideep	13
Lokesh Ghosliya	6
Navdeep	6

• Rahul Sethpal continues to provide outstanding support at the right corner, standing as Haryana Steelers' second-best defender behind Jaideep with two high 5s to his credit. He is on the verge of reaching his personal milestone of 50 tackle points in PKL 12, requiring just 4 additional points.

Rahul Sethpal in PKL 12

Matches	Tackle Points	Average	Tackle SR%
18	46	2.6	53%

• Haryana Steelers' supporting defenders have provided crucial assistance, with Neeraj leading the team with 49 assists, while Hardeep and Rahul Ahri have offered vital support both defensively and in backing the raiding unit.
• Nitin Kumar was experiencing his finest raiding season before sustaining an injury but has impressively returned to lead Jaipur's playoff push with remarkable form.
• His return has been nothing short of sensational, recording three consecutive Super 10s in his final three appearances post-injury.

Nitin Kumar – Last Three Matches

Raid Points	Average	Raid SR%	Super 10s
39	13.0	68%	3

• Nitin Kumar dominates the 6-7 defender-in-play situation, recording 95 raid points at an impressive 69% success rate.

Nitin Kumar in PKL 12 – Defenders in Play

Defenders in Play	Raid Points	Raid SR%
6-7	95	69%
4-5	26	40%
2-3	24	58%

• Ali Samadi demonstrated exceptional leadership during Nitin Kumar's absence, maintaining solid raiding credentials with 109 raid points at a 59% success rate across 17 matches, whilst maintaining his supporting role upon Nitin's return.

Ali Samadi in PKL 12

Matches	Raid Points	Average	Raid SR%	Super 10s
17	109	6.4	59%	4

Battle of Two Stalwart Coaches Adept at Managing Playoffs

• Narender Redhu and Manpreet Singh represent two of Pro Kabaddi's most tactically astute coaches, both proven in high-pressure playoff environments and strategic battlefield management.
• Narender Redhu commenced his coaching career with Patna Pirates in PKL 10, establishing a dynamic young squad and securing consecutive playoff appearances followed by a finals appearance in PKL 11.
• He is widely recognised for his tactical acumen and defence-first strategic philosophy, successfully navigating Jaipur Pink Panthers through a campaign riddled with injuries and defensive inconsistencies.

Narender Redhu – PKL Coaching Record

• Playoffs in PKL 10 with Patna Pirates
• Finals in PKL 11 with Patna Pirates
• Playoffs with Jaipur Pink Panthers in PKL 12

• Manpreet Singh stands as one of Pro Kabaddi's most dynamic and passionate tacticians, renowned for his aggressive strategic approach and remarkable ability to develop emerging talent.
• After multiple near-misses in previous seasons, Manpreet secured his maiden PKL championship title in Season 11, scripting history with Haryana Steelers. He became the first individual to achieve the PKL title both as a player and as a coach.
• Manpreet remains the only coach in PKL history to amass more than 100 career victories, demonstrating sustained excellence throughout his tenure.

Manpreet Singh – PKL Coaching Record

Season	Team	Achievement
PKL 5	Gujarat Giants	Runners-up
PKL 6	Gujarat Giants	Runners-up
PKL 8	Gujarat Giants	Playoffs
PKL 10	Haryana Steelers	Runners-up
PKL 11	Haryana Steelers	Champions
PKL 12	Haryana Steelers	Playoffs (so far)

Vinay and Shivam Patare to Lead Steelers' Raiding Unit

• Haryana Steelers have established themselves as one of PKL 12's premier raiding units, led by the dynamic pairing of Shivam Patare and Vinay.

Haryana Steelers Raiding Unit in PKL 12

Matches	Raid Points	Average	Raid SR%
18	405	22.5	53%

• Both raiders have surpassed the 100-raid-point milestone in PKL 12, collectively contributing approximately 69% of the Steelers' total raid points and demonstrating remarkable synergy.

Haryana Steelers Raiding Duo – PKL 12

Criteria	Vinay	Shivam Patare
Raid Points	130	149
Average	7.6	8.3
Raid SR%	48%	64%
Super 10s	6	6

• Shivam Patare has emerged as the primary raiding force, demonstrating consistency across all defender-in-play situations with an exceptional 64% overall success rate.
• Vinay provides crucial support and excels in do-or-die raid situations, offering crucial secondary threat and preventing opponents concentrating exclusively on Shivam.
• Both raiders possess extensive playoff experience, having led Haryana Steelers to the PKL 10 finals and securing the championship in PKL 11.

Panthers' Defence Needs to Be at Their Best to Face Steelers' Onslaught

• Jaipur Pink Panthers' defence ranks among PKL 12's weakest units, recording the fourth-lowest tackle success rate and average tackle points across the league.

Jaipur Pink Panthers Defence in PKL 12

Matches	Tackle Points	Average	Tackle SR%
18	169	9.4	39%

• Aryan Kumar and Deepanshu Khatri have been the defensive pillars, combining effectively at the corner positions with Reza Mirbagheri providing additional support.

Jaipur Pink Panthers Defenders in PKL 12

Player	Tackle Points	Average	Tackle SR%
Aryan Kumar	42	2.5	47%
Deepanshu Khatri	37	2.2	39%
Reza Mirbagheri	31	1.8	44%

• A concerning statistic reveals that none of Jaipur's top defenders has achieved a tackle success rate of 50% or above, presenting a significant vulnerability against Haryana's explosive raiding unit.
• The 6-7 defender-in-play situation represents their greatest defensive weakness, where they record the second-lowest tackle points and success rate in the entire league – a critical concern given that most raids occur in this scenario.

Lowest Tackle SR% in 6-7 DIP in PKL 12

Team	Tackle Points	Tackle SR%
Bengal Warriorz	90	28%
Jaipur Pink Panthers	70	29%
Patna Pirates	83	33%

• Reza Mirbagheri, the squad's most experienced defender, has underperformed relative to his career standards, recording 44% success rate this season compared to his consistent 50%+ performances in previous campaigns.

Head-to-Head Record in PKL

Overall: Matches – 18 | Haryana Steelers – 6 | Jaipur Pink Panthers – 10 | Tied – 2

• Jaipur Pink Panthers secured a narrow one-point victory in their most recent meeting during the PKL 12 league stages (M#57: 37–36), suggesting another closely contested affair.

Last Five Meetings

Match	Haryana Steelers	Jaipur Pink Panthers	Result
M#57 PKL 12	36	37	JPP Won by 1
M#72 PKL 11	43	30	HS Won by 13
M#14 PKL 11	37	25	HS Won by 12
Semifinal 2 PKL 10	31	27	HS Won by 4
M#77 PKL 10	27	37	JPP Won by 10

• Haryana Steelers triumphed in their only previous playoff meeting in PKL 10's semifinal, securing a four-point victory and demonstrating composure under pressure.

What to Expect

This encounter promises to be a fascinating tactical battle between contrasting philosophies. Haryana Steelers' balanced excellence and record-breaking defensive form meet Jaipur Pink Panthers' reliance on individual raiding brilliance in a match that could define both teams' seasons.

The key battles – Jaideep's historic defensive performances against Nitin Kumar's post-injury resurgence and Vinay–Shivam Patare's raiding prowess against a fragile Jaipur defence – will likely determine the outcome.

Expect a closely contested affair where the team executing their game plan more consistently will emerge victorious, with Haryana Steelers' superior all-round form providing a psychological edge heading into the playoffs.

Match Details

• Match: Haryana Steelers vs Jaipur Pink Panthers – Play-In 1, PKL Season 12
• Date: Saturday, 25th October 2025
• Time: 7:30 PM IST
• Venue: Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium, Delhi
• LIVE Streaming: Watch LIVE on Star Sports Network and JioHotstar. For LIVE scores and updates, visit prokabaddi.com or download the Pro Kabaddi Official App.

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