Having a strong captain who can lead by example is the cornerstone of title-winning teams in the Pro Kabaddi League. Besides delivering consistent performances on the mat, a captain also bears the added responsibility of guiding their teammates during matches and making crucial decisions that can change the course of the contest. (More Sports News)
Consequently, PKL franchises select their skippers after carefully assessing a player’s individual skill, experience, and ability to lead a team from the front. With Season 11 of PKL just around the corner, all 12 franchises have revealed their captains for the campaign, and here we take a look at the men who will lead the teams in the season ahead.
Bengal Warriorz - Fazel Atrachali
Iranian defender Fazel Atrachali is a name that needs no introduction to PKL fans. The highest-scoring defender in league history, with 486 tackle points, Fazel Atrachali brings a wealth of experience as captain, having led several of his previous teams. A player who knows what it takes to win the Pro Kabaddi title, he has lifted the trophy twice and has 70 wins as captain in PKL – the most by any player in the league. He will be hoping to once again get his hands on the coveted PKL title as the skipper of Bengal Warriors in Season 11.
Bengaluru Bulls - Pardeep Narwal
PKL 11 will witness the Dubki King, Pardeep Narwal, returning to become the skipper of Bengaluru Bulls—the same team he made his PKL debut with in Season 2. The all-time top scorer for raid points (1,690) in Pro Kabaddi, Pardeep Narwal certainly knows a thing or two about what it takes to win the PKL trophy. A three-time champion and two-time league MVP, Pardeep Narwal has been entrusted with leading the Bulls in the upcoming season and will be hoping to guide the team to what would be their second PKL title.
Dabang Delhi K.C. - Naveen Kumar and Ashu Malik
Dabang Delhi K.C. have opted to share the captaincy responsibilities of their side in PKL Season 11. They have appointed both their star raiders, Naveen Kumar and Ashu Malik, as co-captains of the team for the upcoming campaign. Both Naveen Kumar and Ashu Malik have captained Dabang Delhi K.C. in the past, with the latter taking over the reins from the former following an injury last season. Dabang Delhi K.C.’s star-studded raiding duo will now share the burden of captaincy in Season 11 as they look to produce more masterful displays in keeping with their quality. While two-time league MVP Naveen Kumar has amassed 1,005 raid points in his PKL career, Ashu Malik has managed 468 raid points and finished the last campaign as the joint-top scoring raider with 276 raid points in Season 10.
Gujarat Giants - Neeraj Kumar
A man who is no stranger to captaincy, right cover Neeraj Kumar will once again act as skipper in PKL 11 albeit with a different team in Gujarat Giants this time around. A talented defender who previously represented and captained Patna Pirates, Neeraj Kumar will be hoping to write a new chapter with plenty of success as Gujarat Giants skipper in Season 11. He’s notched up 172 tackle points throughout his PKL career and will be hoping to return to his best as skipper of the Giants after a couple of lacklustre campaigns previously.
Haryana Steelers - Jaideep Dahiya
Left cover Jaideep Dahiya proved that he has what it takes to be the skipper of a PKL team after helping guide the Haryana Steelers to the final in Pro Kabaddi Season 10. The fact that he featured ninth on the leaderboard for most tackle points (68) in PKL 10 further demonstrates that the pressure of being a skipper doesn’t weigh down heavily on him and in turn, leaves his performances unaffected. One of the most feared defenders in the league, Jaideep Dahiya has accumulated 188 tackle points over the years and one can expect him to be among the points once again in Season 11.
Jaipur Pink Panthers - Arjun Deshwal
Arjun Deshwal is all set to enjoy his first-ever season as the full-time captain of Jaipur Pink Panthers. A PKL winner with the Panthers, Arjun Deshwal has been the most consistent raider in the league over the past three seasons and is eighth on the all-time leaderboard for most raid points (947) in PKL history. The Season 9 MVP was also the joint-top raid points scorer (276) in the last campaign, and he will be eager to have another solid season as the Panthers look to reclaim the title under Deshwal’s guidance.
Patna Pirates - Shubham Shinde
After previously being a part of Patna Pirates in Season 8, right corner Shubham Shinde returns to the fold for the three-time champions but this time as captain of the team. Shubham Shinde has looked impressive and produced top performances for his team in the last two PKL campaigns. He went from strength to strength in the last two seasons and was 12th on the leaderboard for most tackle points (62) in PKL 10. With the added responsibility of captaincy now on his shoulders, it will be interesting to see how Shubham Shinde fares in the season ahead.
Puneri Paltan - Aslam Inamdar
Puneri Paltan's reappointment of Aslam Inamdar as captain for the new season was an absolute no-brainer, considering the ease and calmness with which he helped guide the team to their maiden title in PKL 10. An astute thinker known for accurately assessing match situations, Aslam Inamdar was deservedly adjudged the league MVP last season thanks to his ability to contribute in both attack and defence, as well as being an inspirational captain and leader to the rest of his teammates. He has notched up 449 raid points and 58 tackle points over the years and will be confident in his ability to lead Puneri Paltan to a successful title defence.
Tamil Thalaivas - Sagar
Tenth on the leaderboard for most tackle points (66) in Pro Kabaddi Season 10, Sagar will once again be the skipper of Tamil Thalaivas in the 11th edition of PKL. Part of Tamil Thalaivas ever since his PKL debut, Sagar brings stability to the team’s defence and has proven himself to be an effective leader whenever on the mat. Strong while defending against the odds, Sagar has managed to execute 24 Super Tackles in four seasons and has also scored 223 tackle points during that time.
Telugu Titans - Pawan Sehrawat
Hi-Flyer Pawan Sehrawat was somewhat of a lone warrior in an underwhelming Telugu Titans team last season. Despite his best efforts which saw him score 202 raid points and 15 tackle points as captain, the Titans finished bottom of the league standings after none of his teammates could provide enough support to the Season 6 MVP. Third on the all-time leaderboard for most raid points (1189) in PKL history, Pawan will be hoping for more support from his teammates as he looks to lead his team to a better campaign in Season 11.
U Mumba - Sunil Kumar
The first-ever Indian player to have captained more than 100 PKL games, Sunil Kumar is no stranger to the role of skipper. U Mumba appointing him as their captain was along expected lines and he will be hoping to help the team end their long wait for a second PKL title having previously done the same during his time with Jaipur Pink Panthers. He’s the second most successful captain in PKL history with 65 wins and eighth on the all-time charts for most tackle points (336) in the league. After failing to qualify for the playoffs in the past three seasons, U Mumba will hope that Sunil Kumar’s leadership could inspire them to the latter stages of the league in the upcoming campaign.
UP Yoddhas - Surender Gill
Season 11 will be a big one for raider Surender Gill for more than one reason. Not only will he be donning the role of being the main raider for the Yoddhas, but Surender Gill will also be taking on the mantle of captaining the team. One of the most consistent raiders when fit, Surender Gill will be hoping to avoid injuries and enjoy a full season with the Yoddhas in Season 11 following two injury-ridden campaigns previously. Unstoppable when on song, Surender Gill has 487 raid points to his name and will aim to inspire the Yoddhas to their best season yet in PKL 11.
