Jaipur Pink Panthers eye third PKL title under new head coach

Two-time Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) champions Jaipur Pink Panthers will be eager to get their hands on the coveted title once again after crashing out in the Playoffs last season.

Ahead of Season 12, the Pink Panthers parted ways with Sanjeev Baliyan, who was their head coach for the past four seasons and guided the team to PKL Season 9 glory.

With an aim to reclaim the PKL trophy, the Pink Panthers appointed Narender Redhu as their new head coach for the upcoming season.

Widely regarded as one of the most promising young coaches in the Indian kabaddi circuit, Redhu led a young Patna Pirates side to the PKL Season 11 final. Under his guidance, the Pirates also reached the PKL Season 10 Playoffs.

Having retained defenders Reza Mirbagheri, Ronak Singh, Nitin Kumar, Abhishek KS, and raiders Sombir and Ritik Sharma, the Pink Panthers bought nine players at the Player Auction to strengthen their squad. Having spent a total amount of INR 4.93 crore, the inaugural PKL winners have assembled a formidable squad that has plenty of exciting talents. With that in mind, let’s have a look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Pink Panthers ahead of the new campaign.

Strengths

The Pink Panthers seem to have a solid defensive unit on paper and will undoubtedly be one of their biggest strengths in the forthcoming season. Ahead of the PKL Season 12 Player Auction, the two-time PKL champions retained their star Iranian defender Reza Mirbagheri, who has emerged as one of the strong pillars of their defence in the past few seasons. Reza continued his brilliance last season with 58 tackle points in 23 games, including four Super Tackles and two High 5s. Apart from Reza, the Pink Panthers managed to retain right corner Ronak Singh, right cover Nitin Kumar and talented left cover Abhishek KS.

Furthermore, the Pink Panthers bolstered their defence by roping in all-rounder Nitin Rawal for INR 50 lacs at the auction. Nitin was one of the top defenders last season with 74 tackle points in 22 games.

Under newly-appointed head coach Narender Redhu, known for his tactical acumen and past success with Patna Pirates, the Pink Panthers have gained a strong asset in their leadership core. To bolster their defence, they also acquired the services of right cover Aashish Kumar for INR 27 lacs. With Coach Redhu’s proven track record and strategic mindset, the Panthers are shaping up to be a formidable force this season.

The likes of Deepanshu (right corner), Aryan (left corner), Sahil Deshwal (left cover) and Mohit (right cover) are their other defensive options, showcasing the depth of their defence for the upcoming season.

Weaknesses

While the Pink Panthers’ defence looks strong on paper, their attack leaves much to be desired. One of the major concerns for the Pink Panthers will be the departure of their former captain Arjun Deshwal, who formed a core of their squad over the last few seasons. The Raid Machine Arjun Deshwal was their lead raider as well as an inspirational leader in the team. With 296 raid points in 24 matches, Deshwal played a pivotal role in guiding the Pink Panthers to their second PKL title in Season 9. He accumulated 276 raid points in Season 10 and later followed it up with 227 raid points in Season 11.

To address their attacking weakness, the Pink Panthers spent INR 1.002 crore to sign right raider Nitin Kumar Dhankhar at the Season 12 Player Auction. Nitin was previously an integral part of the Bengal Warriorz’ attacking unit.

Additionally, the Jaipur-based side added young talent Uday Parte for INR 50.10 lacs, experienced raider Manjeet Dahiya for INR 40 lacs, and Iranian raider Ali Samadi Choubtarash for INR 16.20 lacs to bolster their attack. They have also retained raiders Sombir and Ritik Sharma ahead of the auction.

Apart from Manjeet and Nitin Kumar, the Pink Panthers lack well-established raiders who have made a significant impact in the league. Hence, their attack could be a potential weakness heading into the new season.

Opportunities

As far as opportunities to impress are concerned, Nitin Kumar Dhankhar is one player who will look to rise to the challenge and establish himself as the lead raider of the Pink Panthers in PKL Season 12. Since his PKL debut in Season 10, Nitin has already accumulated 287 raid points in 34 matches. Nitin has the credentials to emerge as one of the top raiders in the league and play a crucial role in the Pink Panthers’ Season 12 campaign.

After emerging as the second-most expensive player from Category D at the PKL Season 12 Player Auction, rising raider Uday Parte will have the opportunity to fulfil the expectations and trust the Pink Panthers showed by signing him for a huge amount of INR 50.10 lacs.

PKL Season 12 will also offer a great platform for players like Ritik Sharma, Sahil Satpal, Vinay, Meetu, Abhishek KS, Deepanshu, Aryan, Sahil Deswal, Mohit, and Aashish Kumar to showcase their talents and make a mark in the league.

Threats

Ahead of the PKL Season 12 Player Auction, the Pink Panthers surprised everyone by releasing Ankush Rathee, one of their top defenders in the last few seasons. With 89 tackle points in 24 matches, Ankush was the best defender in PKL Season 9 and was one of the architects of the Pink Panthers’ title-winning campaign. At the left corner position, Ankush produced consistent performances for the Pink Panthers, amassing 138 tackle points in 45 games in the last two editions.

Despite having the options of Nitin Rawal and Aryan Redhu, the left corner position could be an area that opposition teams may look to exploit following Rathee’s departure.

The lack of all-rounders in the team is another potential threat to the Pink Panthers, as it could affect the overall balance of the side. Nitin Rawal is the only all-rounder the Pink Panthers have on paper.

The two-time PKL champions could also miss the leadership qualities of their former captain, Arjun Deshwal, heading into PKL Season 12.

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