Having won the Pro Kabaddi League title in season 6, Bengaluru Bulls will be keen to again lay their hands on the trophy after missing out in the last four editions. They made the playoffs in three of the last four seasons but missed out on a berth in the playoffs in season 10. (More Sports News)
The Bulls, in fact, have reached the playoffs in six out of the 10 PKL seasons so far. They’ve finished runners-up in season 2 and on top in season 6, besides making four other playoff appearances.
The 11th edition will see the Bulls continue with head coach Randhir Singh Sehrawat, who has been with the franchise since the inaugural edition of PKL and is the league’s longest-serving coach.
Active at the season 11 player auction table, Bengaluru finished the two-day event with a squad that has plenty of exciting talents. Their new-look raiding unit, in particular, could strike fear in opposition defensive units and here we take a closer look at their squad, assessing their strengths and weaknesses ahead of the new campaign.
Strengths
The Bulls purchased Pardeep Narwal for INR 70 lakh and Ajinkya Pawar for INR 1.107 crores at the auction, strengthening the team’s raiding unit. While Narwal is the highest-scoring raider in PKL history with 1,690 raid points, Pawar has accumulated 454 raid points over the years.
Narwal, who made his PKL debut with the Bulls in season 2, will be hoping to return to his best after a few underwhelming seasons. He can expect solid support from Pawar, who was the seventh most-expensive player in the season 11 auction and has averaged more than 100 raid points in the last three seasons.
Raider Jai Bhagwan is another exciting attacking addition to the Bulls’ squad after being bought for INR 63 lakh. He has managed 122 raid points in two seasons and will be eager to make an impact with the Bulls in the upcoming campaign. Furthermore, their retained raiders like Sushil and Akshit enhance their attacking depth. While Sushil managed 100 raid points last season, Akshit scored 61 raid points.
Weaknesses
It will be interesting to see how the Bulls’ defence rises to the challenge in season 11. Captain Surabh Nandal is the only established defender in the squad and he will be entrusted to lead the defence from the front in the new campaign. But Nandal, who has managed 246 tackle points in his PKL career, will need support from what seems to be an inexperienced defensive unit on paper.
Parteek, Arulnanthababu and Rohit Kumar have competed in one season apiece of PKL and have collectively accumulated 46 tackle points. Needless to say, the aforementioned defensive trio will need to raise their game in season 11 along with Ponparthiban Subramanian, who has scored 40 tackle points over four seasons.
Opportunities
After missing out on season 10 due to injury, the upcoming campaign will serve as the perfect opportunity for all-rounder Nitin Rawal to make up for lost time. An explosive player who can be a menace on both ends of the mat on his day, Nitin Rawal has amassed 142 raid points and 94 tackle points in his PKL career.
His defensive ability will be crucial to the fortunes of Bengaluru as they seem slightly short in defence. Bought for INR 13 lakh at the auction, how Nitin Rawal fares alongside fellow all-rounder Chandranaik M will go a long way in determining how the Bulls’ season progresses. Known to be a robust tackler, Chandranaik M’s defensive contributions could prove to be vital for the Bulls.
Threats
A lot of how the Bulls’ season unfolds could also depend on Narwal’s form. The 'Dubki King' hasn’t enjoyed the best of outings in his last few campaigns but will be hoping to turn things around under the tutelage of head coach Sehrawat, who handed Narwal his PKL debut.
If the experienced raider does rediscover his form, the Bulls can expect a solid season. However, should Narwal struggle, the lack of a distinct main raider in the team might be a concern, as none of Pawar, Jai Bhagwan, Sushil or Akshit have the experience of consistently being a lead raider or the know-how to handle the expectations and pressure associated with that role.
