New Delhi: Pro Kabaddi League Season 8 winners Dabang Delhi K.C. will look to reclaim the title after losing in the semi-finals against Patna Pirates last season. They have qualified for the playoffs in each of the last six PKL editions and have been one of the most consistent teams in recent years.
Joginder Narwal will continue as Dabang Delhi’s head coach in the upcoming season. Under his leadership, Dabang Delhi K.C. was one of the most dominant teams in the last season. They won 13 matches out of the 22, and finished second in the PKL Season 11 points table with 81 points.
Dabang Delhi K.C. included 16 players in the squad at the PKL season 12 auction. They have spent Rs 4.899 crore and assembled a strong team that covered most of their bases. Here’s a look at the strengths and weaknesses of Dabang Delhi K.C. ahead of the upcoming PKL Season.
Strengths
Dabang Delhi K.C. have the great quality and experience of the raiders and defenders in their squad. The Pro Kabaddi Season 8 champions used their Final Bid Match (FBM) card to retain their star raider Ashu Malik for a massive Rs 1.90 crore. They also added talented raider Neeraj Narwal and Ajinkya Ashok Pawar for Rs 32.60 and Rs 13 lakh, respectively.
The franchise has also roped in Fazel Atrachali for his price of Rs 30 lakh. The Iranian defender is the first player to reach 500 tackle points in the Pro Kabaddi League history, racking up 545 tackle points in 188 games so far.
Dabang Delhi K.C. have also picked Surjeet Singh for Rs 20 lakh, included Iranian right corner Amir Hossein Bastami for Rs 30 lakh, and signed experienced Saurabh Nandal for Rs 13 lakh to strengthen their defensive unit.
Weaknesses
Despite assembling a strong squad at the PKL season 12 auction, the departure of their captain and raider, Naveen Kumar, is a big blow to the franchise. He was a crucial member of Dabang Delhi since 2018, guiding the team to their first Pro Kabaddi title in 2022.
He also won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in consecutive editions, while representing the franchise. He earlier stitched a successful partnership with Ashu Malik and put pressure on the opposition’s defence.
The Dabang Delhi K.C. squad also lack quality all-rounders ahead of the upcoming season. Amit, Ashish Kumar Sangwan, Naveen and Arkam Shaikh are the only recognised all-rounders in their squad, and they need to produce impactful performances to lift the trophy.
Opportunities
The upcoming season will be a great opportunity for players like Neeraj Narwal, Anil Gurjar, Mohit, Vijay and Akshit to make the most of the chances and showcase their game in the raiding unit. Ashu Malik will once again lead their attack, but he will need support from other talented raiders.
After a poor campaign with the Bengal Warriorz last season, defender Fazel Atrachali will be hoping to return to his best form and guide the team to PKL glory.
Threats
Dabang Delhi’s season depends on the form of raider Ashu Malik. He has been one of the leading raiders in PKL history, scoring 538 points in the last 46 matches of the previous two seasons. The squad also lack quality all-rounders, which could pose a serious threat to the team’s chances of winning the league.