Making their debut this year, not many would be willing to bet their money on the Gujarat FortuneGiants, taking into account two factors. Firstly, this is their debut season and the management missed out on some major targets at the auction.
Secondly, on paper, Gujarat seriously lack depth in their squad. That being said, the Pro Kabaddi League has time and again proven that when established teams write off seemingly weaker opponents, it comes back to bite them. Gujarat have a solid seven capable of making the tag of ‘Giantkillers’, their own. Let’s take a look at their predicted starting line-up.
#1 Sukesh Hegde
For Sukesh Hedge, season 5 provides a unique opportunity. The 27-year-old will be captaining a side for the first time in the league. The raider is coming into this season on the back of a poor outing with the Telugu Titans. A season that was marred by injuries and subpar performances, Hegde will be keen to prove that last season was merely an anomaly; he picked up a mere seven raid points.
A herculean task awaits Sukesh.
#2 Mahendra Rajput
For the next 100 odd days, Mahendra Rajput will have to forego his duties as a police officer and focus all his energy on the mat. Consider this, Rahul Chaudhari has a 40% success rate in the raiding department. Rajput, on the other hand, comes back to his own half successfully, 32% of the time.
At Bengal, he wasn’t utilised well but at Gujarat, he has a chance to shine. He will no doubt be a starter and can finally enjoy some consistency as far as game time is concerned.
#3 Pawan Sehrawat
With the options scarce, Pawan Sehrawat will be tasked with aiding Rajput and Hegde in the raiding department. At Bengaluru Bulls, he displayed glimpses of his ability. Pawan doesn’t possess the raw pace of his colleagues in the league but makes up for it with some patient, street smart raiding.
This time around, he will consistently find himself in situations where he will be expected to deliver. Only time will tell if he’s up for the challenge.
#4 Fazel Atrachali
Gujarat possess an ace up their sleeve as they secured the services of arguably the best defender in the world right now, Fazel Atrachali. He will lead the side’s back line that comprises some solid, bankable defenders. There aren’t many defenders in the league who can win matches single-handedly, but Atrachali is one of them.
When he gets into the dangerous rhythm of delivering body blows and thigh holds, there’s no stopping him.
#5 Sunil Kumar
At 20 years of age, Sunil Kumar went for a hefty sum at the auctions. The fact that Gujarat’s management paid Rs 30.4 lakh for his services is a testament to their belief in him. He spent season 4 with the Patna Pirates. While he played only one match there, he would have imbibed some vital tricks from some of the best players in the game. It’s time for him to put all his knowledge into practice for Gujarat this season.
#6 Manoj Kumar
In Manoj Kumar, Gujarat have one of the most experienced players in the league. Having played 47 matches so far, Kumar has under his belt, experience – a vital factor considering there are a handful of players who will be making their Pro Kabaddi debut this season.
The left cover’s sole responsibility will be to create tight spaces for the corners to execute their tackles. He will have to pull his socks up to ensure the opponents don’t run riot in his half.
#7 Abozar Mohajermighani
The second of the Fortune Giants’ Iranian pillars, his partnership with Fazel was on display in last year’s World Cup. Their understanding is almost telepathic and almost won them the final against India and it was only Ajay Thakur’s heroics that saved the men in blue’s blushes.
It will be fascinating to see how the duo fares in the longer season!
