PKL 12: Defending champions Haryana Steelers eye second title without Shadlu
Haryana Steelers made their debut in the fifth season of the Pro Kabaddi League and reached the playoffs that very season. In their first six seasons, they reached the playoffs on three occasions but succumbed under pressure in the big games. Their seventh season, however, saw them lift their maiden Pro Kabaddi League title in PKL 2024. Haryana Steelers, under the coach Manpreet Singh and skipper Jaydeep Dahiya, beat Patna Pirates in the final to win their first-ever Pro Kabaddi League title. The defending champions will go into the new season brimming with confidence.
Jaydeep Dhahiya has been retained as the captain of the team, while Rahul Sethpal will be his deputy.
Who were the star performers in Haryana Steelers’ PKL 11 victorious campaign?
Vinay and Shivam Patare didn’t let the opposition defense settle as they built pressure by consistently picking points in the tournament. Vinay accumulated 164 raid points, while Shivam managed 158. The third most impressive player on the mat was Mohammadreza Shadloui. He was not only the best defender in the last season but also picked the third-highest number of raid points for Haryana. In the right corner, Rahul Sethpal played a crucial role, finishing with the fifth most successful tackles. He accumulated 66 points from 24 matches.
Who’s missing and who’s retained in Haryana’s PKL 12 squad ?
It comes as a surprise that Haryana have let go of Mohammadreza Shadloui and Sanjay Dhull, considering their key roles in securing the trophy. The left corner and right-cover now becomes vacant, and it will be interesting to see how they fill these positions. Shadlu accumulated 82 tackle points - the most in the PKL 2024 season. There is no doubt that it will be hard to fill his shoes. Haryana didn’t buy any superstar defender in the auction, which could indicate that they would be putting faith in a youngster to replicate the role.
While defense looks like a concern, their raiding department has no shortage of star power. Vinay and Shivam Patare will once again be leading the attack. To strengthen that further, they have acquired another star raider in Naveen Kumar. The former Dabang Delhi kabaddi player hasn’t had a great couple of seasons on the mat. He hasn’t been his very best, and it remains to be seen if Manpreet Singh can once again bring the beast out of him.
Haryana Steelers’ starting seven for PKL 12:
Rahul Sethpal, Vinay, Shivam Patare, Jaideep Dahiya, Ashish Narwal, Manikandan N, Naveen Kumar
Can Haryana Steelers lift the PKL 12 title ?
“With new vigour and focus, the Dhaakad Boys are back this season – we are confident to defend our title and lift the trophy again." coach Manpreet Singh said.
There is no shortage of superstar raiders in the side. That’s the biggest positive for them going into the tournament. Vijay, Shivam Patare, and Naveen Kumar are proven superstars and can make a formidable combo this season. Manpreet Singh’s passion and hunger to win aren’t going to let them take any game easy. If Haryana can fill the void left by Shadlu, then they can lift their second consecutive title. However, that won’t be easy as they don’t have any experienced campaigner in the left corner position. The youngsters will need to step up to the plate and showcase their prowess on the big stage.
Haryana Steelers should secure qualification for the playoffs, but lifting their second consecutive title might not be easy this time around.
Haryana Steelers PKL 12 Squad:
Elite Retained Players: Rahul Sethpal (Defender), Vinay (Raider)
Retained Young Players: Jaideep (Defender), Vishal Tate (Raider), Jaya Soorya NS (Raider), Shivam Anil Patare (Raider)
Existing New Young Players: Sahil (All-Rounder), Vikas Ramadas Jadhav (Raider), Manikandan N (Defender)
Overseas Players: Shahan Sha Mohammed (Raider) for Rs 13 lakhs, Ghanshyam Roka Magar (Raider) for Rs 13 lakhs
