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The Pro Kabaddi League 2019 is set to commence from 20th July 2019 as we are only a few weeks away from kabaddi's most prestigious tournament. The likes of Siddharth Desai, Pardeep Narwal and Pawan Sehrawat will look to be on top of their mark while Parvesh Bhainswal, Sunil Kumar and Surender Nada will be gunning to present their defensive class on the mat.
Wonderboy Siddharth Desai emerged as the costliest player of PKL auction as he was procured by the Telugu Titans for ₹145 lakhs. Nitin Tomar (₹120 lakhs), Rahul Chaudhari (₹94 lakhs) and Monu Goyat (₹93 lakhs) went to the Puneri Paltan, Tamil Thalaivas, and UP Yoddha respectively.
Sandeep Narwal became the most expensive all-rounder, sold to U Mumba for ₹89 lakhs while left cover defender Mahender Singh became the most expensive defender of Season seven player auction, retained by Bengaluru Bulls for ₹80 lakhs.
Pro Kabaddi has grown immensely when compared to how it started back in 2014. With the twelve teams gearing up for the big season ahead, it is understood that the seventh season is slated to follow a similar template to the previous PKL season.
As we await the commencement of the league, we take a look at the probable captains from Zone A teams, an analysis made based on the players' experience and leadership quality.
Dabang Delhi K.C. - Joginder Narwal
Joginder Narwal became the first captain to lead Dabang Delhi K.C. into the playoffs for the first time in Pro Kabaddi history, when he achieved the feat during season six. A calm and composed captain, Joginder Narwal brought his immense experience to the game as he backed his young raiders in the offense.
Joginder Narwal formed a great partnership with Ravinder Pahal in the corner position last year which helped Dabang Delhi K.C. to perform consistently.
The ankle hold specialist notched up 51 tackle points in 22 matches at an average of 2.13 tackle points last season and coach Kishan Kumar Hooda will be keen on Joginder continuing his brilliance on the mat once again for the upcoming season as well.
Gujarat Fortuneiants - Sunil Kumar
Sunil Kumar was handed the captaincy of the Gujarat Fortunegiants in Season six after putting up a fine performance in the fifth season of the Pro Kabaddi League. Coach Manpreet Singh's pick proved to be a success his team ended as runners-up in last season.
The partnership of Sunil Kumar-Parvesh Bhainswal succeeded in leading Gujarat to 17 wins in their group stage last season while coach Manpreet Singh had an impact on getting the best out of Sunil Kumar, both as a captain and a defender.
Sunil Kumar stood out with much courage and led the team with composure which helped him innovate his defensive techniques and form a deadly cover partnership with Parvesh Bhainswal that took his team to the final clash.
Apart from leading the team to the finals, Kumar was one of the best right cover defenders of Season six with 76 tackle points in 25 matches at an average of 3.04 tackle points.
With the youngester exhibiting his skill while leading, Manpreet Singh could once again have Sunil Kumar as Gujarat's captain for the upcoming edition of the Pro Kabaddi League.
Haryana Steelers - Dharmaraj Cheralathan
One of the most experienced veterans of Pro Kabaddi, Dharamaraj Cheralathan has been fantastic as a captain of Indian Railways lately, leading the team to win the 66th Senior National Kabaddi Championship with full utilization of the team's potential.
Cheralathan has tasted victory in the PKL as the captain of the Patna Pirates in season four and in the season seven auctions, Haryana Steelers signed him for ₹38.50 lakhs.Last season, the defender was the vice-captain of U Mumba with Fazel Atrachali as the captain of the side that reached the playoffs with ease.
The veteran has 216 tackle points out of 99 matches at an average of 2.18 tackle points. He is the only defender to have played for five different teams in Pro Kabaddi history with Haryana Steelers his sixth team in PKL history. Dharmaraj knows how to utilize younger talents and enhance their skills on the mat.
Rakesh Kumar, who is the coach for Haryana Steelers, has played along with Cheralathan in the past as they have been an integral part of Indian Railways team. It is probable that his experience may lead the management to appoint him as the captain for the Steelers in Season 7.
Jaipur Pink Panthers - Deepak Niwas Hooda
One of the best all-rounders in the game, Deepak Niwas Hooda has uplifted his game with every season. He has emerged as one of the most lethal left raiders in Pro Kabaddi today along with his defensive ability as well.
Deepak Niwas Hooda was signed by the Jaipur Pink Panthers last year. After Anup Kumar announced his retirement from the game, Hooda was handed over the captaincy owing to which he performed much better as a complete player, leading from the front.
The third highest point scorer of the league, Hooda has 710 raid points and 75 tackle points in his overall career. He has 24 Super 10s to his name with an average of 6.89 raid points.
The all-rounder has always led his team from the front and the fact that he advises the young raiders of his team to play freely makes him a top captain while the way he controls the defensive with his calculative mindset also makes him a vital asset to the team.
Jaipur Pink Panthers will look to have Deepak as the captain yet again for the upcoming seventh season.
Puneri Paltan - PO Surjeet Singh
PO Surjeet Singh led the Bengal Warriors to the playoffs in two seasons consecutively, season five and season six. He is known as one of the best right cover defenders in the game with his ability to dash the opponents out of the court with pace.
As a captain, Surjeet Singh knows how to initiate the right move at the right time. He guides his defenders to stay patient on the court and execute their tackles without any advance attempts. He is a controlled captain who loves taking risks as well, depending on the situation of the game.
Surjeet Singh has 215 tackle points in 73 matches at an average of 2.79 tackle points. He is a risk-taking captain who can sense the mistake from the opposition and play accordingly.
With Anup Kumar as head coach, Surjeet Singh is a probable choice for captaincy as he has played under Anup in U Mumba and was also a part of the World Cup winning Indian team.
U Mumba - Fazel Atrachali
Fazel Atrachali has been a rock-solid left corner defender in the Pro Kabaddi league. The Iranian has appeared into the playoffs four times, which is the most by any foreign player in history of the PKL.
A perfect combination of raw strength and calm leadership, Fazel Atrachali gets the best out of his players by innovating team unity into the game. He likes to lead by an example and forms a good partnership with the remaining defenders of the team.
With the addition of Sandeep Narwal, Atrachali will have a lot of pressure taken off his shoulders. The raiding line-up of U Mumba is young while the defense has experienced players, allowing the Iranian to lead the team upfront without any pressure from the team management.
Atrachali scored 83 tackle points for U Mumba last season with six High 5s to his name. It is probable that Fazel could once again be the captaincy choice for U Mumba in the seventh season of Pro Kabaddi.
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