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Vivo Pro Kabaddi 2019 will start from 20th July 2019, with twelve teams in the reckoning for a shot at the title. The seventh season will see all teams will play each other twice in the group stage with no zonal classification in this PKL edition. All the matches will begin from 7:30 PM IST and the home legs of all teams will commence from every Saturday of a new week.
Bengaluru Bulls won the title in season 6 by defeating the Gujarat Fortune Giants 38-33 in the finals, courtesy of Pawan Sehrawat's game-changing 22 raid points. The defending champions Bengaluru Bulls will be up against the three times title winners Patna Pirates on 20th July 2019 in their first clash of PKL 7.
With the Bulls playing their home leg in the last two seasons away from Bengaluru, the Kanteerva Stadium will host the Bulls for this season, in what will be billed as a homecoming for the Rohit Kumar-led side. Their home leg will start on 1st September and will end on 7th September.
The Bulls retained Pawan Sehrawat, Rohit Kumar and Ashish Sangwan ahead of the season 7 auctions where they used their FBM card to re-procure the services of ace defender Mahender Singh for ₹80 lakhs to retain a majority of their core from last season.
Here is a look at how the Bengaluru Bulls could line up for the first match of the season.
Right Corner: Raju Lal Choudhary
Hailing from Rajasthan, Raju Lal Choudhary is a right corner defender. He was a part of the Jaipur Pink Panthers team which emerged victorious in inaugural PKL season. After playing three seasons there, he shifted to Haryana Steelers ahead of PKL 5.
Bengaluru Bulls bought the services of Raju in the last season. A diving hold specialist, Raju Lal picked up 23 defense points in 22 PKL matches. All through the season, he played a massive role as a supporting defender.
Raju Lal is yet to prove himself as a force to reckon with in the right corner. Bengaluru Bulls have also signed the services of Vijay Kumar as his replacement, who is a right corner defender. However, with Raju enjoying some experienced having represented India, he can be expected to start in this season.
Right In: Sumit Singh
Sumit Singh debuted with the Bengaluru Bulls in the fourth edition of the PKL. However, he could not cement his place in the start 7 and was given only a few opportunities in that season. Yet, his decent show in the limited opportunities saw the Bulls retain his services for season 7.
Overall, in the history of the PKL, Sumit has picked up a total of 24 points from 17 matches, including 18 raid points and six tackle points. His best performance came last season, when he picked up 15 points from eight matches.
For PKL 7, the Bengaluru Bulls have quality raiders such as Rohit Kumar, Pawan Sehrawat and Vinod Kumar. Sumit will come into the picture during crucial Do or Die junctions in the upcoming season which could cement his place in the playing 7.
Right Cover: Ashish Sangwan
Right cover defender Ashish Sangwan has been a part of the Bengaluru Bulls since his debut during season 2 of the Pro Kabaddi League. A defensive all-rounder with 106 tackle points in 76 matches, Ashish averages 1.25 tackle points per game and is a handy raider as well.
With the Bengaluru Bulls having retained him for PKL 7, the diving thigh hold specialist is capable of surprising the raiders by diving at their thighs from a distance and bringing them down on the mat with strength.
His combination with Bulls' left cover Mahender Singh was one of the reasons that led to their maiden title win. Ashish and Mahender complimented each other fluently in the defensive unit that had a massive impact all through the season.
Sangwan is an integral part of Bulls' defense and will certainly play a key role in ensuring that the Bulls defend their title.
Center: Pawan Kumar Sehrawat
Pawan Sehrawat started his career with the Bengaluru Bulls back in season 3 and established himself as a Do-or-Die specialist. For season 5, Pawan moved to Gujarat Fortunegiants but could not make too much of an impact.
In the season 6 auctions, the Bengaluru Bulls signed the young raider which proved to make a big difference. He outperformed lead raiders Rohit Kumar and Kashiling Adake and was phenomenal throughout the season. His 22 points in the final also saw him registering a record for most points by an individual in a Pro Kabaddi final.
An attacking raider, Pawan notched up 271 raid points from 24 appearances at an average of 11.29 points per game. He scored the most super raids (12) and was second in line for the most super 10's (13) from the season.
Hailing from Delhi, Pawan Sherawat's USP is his ability to escape from holds and execute running hand touches. The MVP from season 6 will yet again hope to lead the Bulls in the upcoming season.
Left Cover: Mahender Singh
Services player Mahender Singh made his debut with Bengaluru Bulls in Pro Kabaddi season 5. He was the best left cover defender of season 5, where he tackled his opponents with his diving holds.
In Pro Kabaddi season 6, Mahender Singh scored 63 tackle points in 24 matches. He ranked second in the list of most High 5's in a season. He was the leading tackle points scorer for the Bulls in PKL 6. His efforts on the defensive front helped the Bulls in winning their first PKL title.
Hailing from Himachal Pradesh, Mahender Singh has immense experience in the sport and has moves like the dives and dashes in his defensive arsenal. Bengaluru Bulls used their FBM card and shelled out ₹80 lakhs for acquiring his services in PKL 7.
Mahender's combination with right cover Ashish Sangwan would be the X-factor for Bulls. He will play as the primary defender and will lead the defensive unit for the team.
Left In: Rohit Kumar
Services player Rohit Kumar marked his debut with Patna Pirates in Pro Kabaddi season 3. His raiding heroics helped the Pirates to win their first PKL trophy. He clinched 102 raid points in 12 matches and won the MVP award for his performance.
A calm and composed raider, Rohit shifted to Bengaluru Bulls in PKL season 4. He performed brilliantly in that season and season 5 thereafter. However, due to lack of team effort, he could not find a way to see his team lift the trophy.
In season 6, he received support from Pawan Sehrawat in the offensive charge that enabled Rohit to deliver as a captain. Rohit has 576 raid points in 72 matches at an average of 8.11 raid points and the Bengaluru Bulls will expect the same from Rohit in the upcoming PKL season.
Left Corner: Amit Sheoran
Left corner defender Amit Sheoran made his debut with the Bengaluru Bulls back in season 5 but only played four matches without registering a single point to his name.
He represented Bengaluru Bulls in PKL 6 as well. He was not part of their playing 7 in the first few matches but later earned an opportunity and was successful in cementing his place in the team with some consistent performances.
Amit had a decent season with the Bengaluru Bulls in season 6. While tackling the raiders from the left corner position, he picked up 38 tackle points from 15 matches and made a mark as one of the most important defenders in the squad.
With the thigh hold his trademark move, Amit tackles the raiders and assists the other defenders well. He will hold the key from the left corner for the Bengaluru Bulls in the upcoming PKL 7.
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