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The season of kabaddi is here as the sixth season of the highly popular Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) is all set to kick off on October 7 at Chennai. For the next three months, the highly talented raiders and defenders are going to take India by storm.
The league has managed to strike a chord with the masses ever since its inception. It has totally transformed the way the game is looked at in the country. Bringing it to the urban areas from its rural heartland has been a huge success story for the PKL.
The Gujarat Fortune Giants are one of the four new teams that were added in 2018 as the league expanded further. The way the Gujarat franchise performed in their very first season was something that needs to be appreciated.
They made it to the final on debut and even beat the eventual champions Patna Pirates twice on the way. They start their campaign against Dabang Delhi on October 9.
Before their Season 6 opener, here is a look at five factors that might just help them go one better in 2018:
#1 Doubly motivated after near miss in Season 5
The Gujarat Fortune Giants had a debut season to remember last year. In their very first season, they left a strong impression and were easily the best of the four debutant teams.
Led by Sachin in raids and Fazel Atrachali in defence, the squad looked impenetrable on many occasions and even inflicted defeat on eventual champions Patna Pirates twice. At one stage, it even looked like they could go on to win the title in their very first season until Patna raised their level in the final and dashed their hopes.
With the kind of quality they displayed in 2017, it is evident that the Fortune Giants have a lot to offer. They do not look like one to crumble under pressure. Instead, the near-miss in Season 5 will certainly spur the Gujarat franchise on to come back doubly motivated and try and win the title that they missed by a whisker last year.
#2 Having Manpreet Singh at the helm
Manpreet Singh is of a rare breed. He not only led the Patna Pirates to the title in Season 3 but he also moulded the youngsters of Gujarat Fortune Giants into a champion side and helped them reach the final on their debut.
Extremely frank and unassuming, his passion for the game oozes from his words as he speaks. He has a deep knowledge and understanding of the game and has a keen eye to spot talent. That is the very reason why he was able to bring so much success for the Gujarat franchise in their very first appearance in the league.
What is even more noteworthy is Manpreet knows how to bond with his wards. He has been more of a brotherly figure than a coach and his young brigade deeply respects him and has flourished immensely under his guidance.
#3 Strong raiding unit led by Sachin
Sachin Tanwar was a revelation last season. In a highly impressive debut, the 18-year-old caught the attention of the kabaddi lovers with his speed and ruthless attack. His spectacular raids belied his young age and showed his amazing maturity.
Sachin earned plaudits from every quarter, including his team coach Manpreet. Gujarat will thus bank on him again and build a strong raiding unit around him.
K Prapanjan has been brought in this time and his experience will surely come in handy. Mahendra Rajput is there as well and he has it in him to deliver the goods when the team needs him.
Other youngsters like Dong Geon Lee, Yashwant Bishnoi, Shubham Palkar, Ajay Kumar and the likes will hope to chip in and do their bit to keep the scoreboard ticking for their team.
#4 Spirited young defenders could bring in a surprise element
Having let go of Fazel Atrachali and Abozar Mighani, Team Gujarat’s defence might look slightly weaker this time on paper. But they are definitely not to be underestimated in terms of their defensive capabilities.
They have retained their left cover defender Parvesh Bhainswal from last season and he could be a real difference-maker. He already proved his skills last season with 48 points from 24 matches and would be eager to do more, now that he is one of their most reliable defenders.
Sunil Kumar has been given the responsibility of leading the charge for the Fortune Giants this time. And he would like to do justice to that role by performing on the mat with gusto. Last season, the right cover defender amassed 58 points from 24 matches, and he would surely like to continue in the same vein.
Gujarat’s success was built around its robust defence last season. Manpreet Singh thus would have to ensure that they do not fail in that department even after losing their star Iranian duo. The team has a plethora of young talent in defence who could step up to the challenge and do the job.
The youngsters could also bring in a surprise element for which other teams might not be prepared. Manpreet has a knack for motivating youngsters and grooming them into champions and he could just bring out the best from the likes of Sachin Vittala, Ruturaj Koravi, Amit Jaivir Sharma, Vikram Kandola.
#5 Quality all-rounder trio
Team Gujarat could also get a lot out of their quality all-rounders. Fresh from winning a historic gold for Iran at the Asian Games, Hadi Oshtorak would be upbeat to find glory in PKL too. Wherever Gujarat lacks in defence, the Iranian could make up for it.
He is mostly a defensive all-rounder and is very well-known for his strong ankle and thigh holds, something he has displayed in ample amounts in a previous stint with the Patna Pirates.
The team also has Rohit Gulia and Anil as the other two all-rounders. Gulia showcased his skills in a wonderful debut in 2017 and would want to continue performing. Gujarat has a lot to expect from their all-rounder trio and they really have it in team to inflict damage on other teams.
