With Season 5 of the Pro Kabaddi League approaching, preparations are in full swing. Four more teams are to join the league this year, making the competition tighter than ever before.
We take a look at the top five teams that have had the most number of losses in the history of the Pro Kabaddi league.
#5 Jaipur Pink Panthers (24)
At number five, we have Jaipur Pink Panthers, who won the first season of Pro Kabaddi League. They have lost a total of 24 matches out of the 60 that they’ve played across all seasons. Though they won 10 out of the 14 matches played in the inaugural season and even managed to defeat U Mumba in order to win the finals, the Rajasthan natives failed to perform at the same level in the subsequent editions.
They made it to the playoffs in Season 2 and dropped further below in Season 3, with a clear dip in their number of wins. The team made a comeback moving from 6th rank to being the runners up through their spectacular performance in Season 4 and qualified for the playoffs, only to be beaten by Patna Pirates.
Also read: Pro Kabaddi League 2017, Season 5: Five teams with the strongest attack
Despite the dip in their performance previously, their resurgence in the previous edition can prove to be crucial in determining their place in Season 5. They have Jasvir Singh as the leading raider of the side, and with the aid of multiple experienced players, the road ahead looks bright for them.
#4 Bengaluru Bulls (30)
This Bengaluru based franchise have lost 30 out of 56 matches in the previous seasons and are placed at number four on our list. They had a decent start and made it all the way to the semi-finals in the first season and qualified for the playoffs in the second. Despite being runners up previously, their performance saw a clear dip as they fell to 7th at the end of the third season. Season 4 saw them end in 6th place with only five victories to show for.
The Bulls seem to be geared up to face Season 5 with new zeal. With veteran defender Ravinder Pahal and star-raiders such as Rohit Kumar and the likes on their side, there is a high possibility of this team making a glorious comeback in the upcoming season.
#3 Bengal Warriors (34)
Based out of Kolkata, the Bengal warriors are at number three on this list. They have lost 34 out of the 58 matches they have played so far. They had a slow start in the league finishing at 7th and 6th place in Seasons 1 and 2 respectively following which they showed significant improvement and qualified for the playoffs, moving up to 4th position in Season 3. They dropped down to the bottom place last season, however.
Also read: Pro Kabaddi League 2017 Season 5: Bengal Warriors confirm captain for new PKL season
The franchise have put an effort into building a stronger team for the upcoming season. While they’ve retained their consistent performer, Korean player Jang Kun Lee, the likes of Deepak Narwal joining as a raider and Ran Singh as their all-rounder will add weightage to the team and increase their chances of a better performance in Season 5.
#2 Puneri Paltan (35)
With 35 losses out of 60 matches that they’ve played, Puneri Paltan make it to second place on our list. The team started at the bottom of the table in the inaugural season and continued to be in 8th place in Season 2, but displayed immense promise in the last two seasons with steady improvement. They turned the tables around by qualifying for the play-offs, finishing 3rd in the last two editions.
Given their resurgence, much is expected of this team in Season 5. With their team constituting able defender Deepak Niwas Hooda and all-rounder Sandeep Narwal, who contributed to Telugu Titans’ victory, and veteran defender Dharmaraj Cheralathan and raider Rajesh Mondal, both of whom were with the yesteryear champions Patna Pirates, a victory seems to be a sure shot for them.
#1 Dabang Delhi (38)
With the most number of losses so far in the Pro Kabaddi league, Dabang Delhi have made it to the first place on our list. They have lost a total of 38 matches out of the 56 they’ve played so far. Despite showing valiant performances, this team from Delhi have loitered around bottom of the table. They were placed 6th in the inaugural season, 7th in Seasons 2 and 4 and 8th in Season 3 and are yet to qualify for the playoffs.
Putting the losses behind them, Dabang Delhi seem to have put their faith in the right players. Moving forward, they decided to retain their star all-rounder Meraj Sheykh. The franchise made the news when they bought Suraj Desai, who is expected to transform the outcome of the matches for them. Bajirao Hodage, who’s significant contribution led to the Patna Pirates’ victory last year, is also to play for Delhi in the upcoming season.
