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Star raider Rohit Kumar will go under the hammer after the Bengaluru Bulls decided to part ways with their title-winning skipper ahead of the PKL Auction 2021. The auction is set to take place in Mumbai from 29-31 August.
The Most Valuable Player (MYP) of Season 3, Rohit played a crucial role in helping the Patna Pirates win their maiden title back in 2016. He scored 102 raid points with 5 Super-10s for the Pirates that season. Rohit then moved to Bengaluru Bulls, where he led the franchise for four seasons.
The ace raider was the second-highest scorer of Season 5, with 219 raid points and 12 Super-10s at an average of 9.95. He is the second-most successful raider for the Bangalore-based franchise, with 568 raid points to his name. Rohit Kumar has a unique record of at least 100 total points in every single season since his debut (PKL 3).
Well known for his quality of leadership, Rohit Kumar could be targeted by teams at a fat sum this season.
Let's have a look at the three teams that could sign Rohit Kumar at the PKL 8 Auction:
#3 Haryana Steelers
The Haryana Steelers have been a decent side in the Pro Kabaddi League, having qualified twice for the play-offs in the three seasons played so far. The Haryana-based franchise, formed in 2017, has been a balanced unit of young raiders and experienced defenders.
In PKL 7, Dharmaraj Cheralathan was appointed as the skipper who led the Steelers to the Eliminator. The team showed a lot of promise with Vikash Kandola as their frontline raider but failed to deliver the finishing touches with less support from the other end.
The team management decided to release Cheralathan from the squad considering the length of the PKL season and age catching up with the versatile defender. A young leader like Rohit Kumar could do well for the team as his immense experience could come in handy and inspire young talents to step up.
Also, having Vikash Kandola and Rohit Kumar in the same raiding unit could prove to be lethal for the opposition's defense due to the combination of left and right raiding attacks. Therefore, it is likely that Haryana Steelers might engage in a bidding war for Rohit Kumar at the PKL Auction 2021.
#2 Tamil Thalaivas
Tamil Thalaivas have boasted many star names in their squad over the past three seasons, namely Ajay Thakur, Manjeet Chhillar, Mohit Chhillar, Ran Singh, and K Prapanjan. However, the Chennai-based franchise hasn't tasted success in the PKL, finishing bottom of the points table in all three seasons.
With no Elite Retained Players (ERP) in their squad for PKL 8, it is evident that the Thalaivas are seeking to revamp their side and purchase a new leader in the upcoming PKL Auction 2021. This is where Rohit Kumar can fit perfectly into the scheme of things.
An experienced campaigner like Rohit Kumar, who has proven to be a visionary leader over the past two seasons with the Bengaluru Bulls, can work well for the side. Perhaps Thalaivas could go all-in on Rohit and build their team around him to bring depth and versatility to their squad.
Hence, Tamil Thalaivas could be the front-runners for signing Rohit at the auction.
#1 Patna Pirates
Rohit Kumar started his PKL career with the Patna Pirates, where he delivered a title-winning performance in the finale to take the team home. The raiding duo of Pardeep Narwal and Rohit Kumar were the main highlights of their top-notch performance in Season 3.
The Patna Pirates have surprisingly released Pardeep Narwal before the PKL Auction 2021. The team hasn't been able to qualify for the play-offs in the past two seasons, and it seems that the Pirates are looking for a new leader who can deliver in crunch situations and add balance to the side.
That makes Rohit Kumar an ideal player for the franchise, as the 31-year-old has proven his leadership by winning the trophy for Bengaluru Bulls in PKL 6. The team could bank on Rohit as their frontline raider like they did in PKL 3.
If Patna manage to sign Rohit Kumar at the auction, they can expect a fourth title in the upcoming eighth edition of the PKL.
