PKL 10: Patna Pirates retention list

Three-time champions side has released their star defender Shadlu.

The Patna Pirates have established themselves as the most successful team in Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) history, securing the PKL championship thrice. However, their recent seasons haven't been as impressive. They reached the finals in the eighth season but faced defeat. The ninth season also saw them underperform, winning only 8 out of 22 matches, with 11 losses and three ties.

Ahead of the 10th PKL season, Patna Pirates underwent significant changes. They not only revamped their coaching staff but also made surprising decisions to release several key players. Most notably, they let go of Mohammadreza Shadlu, a top defender for two consecutive seasons. Patna retained seven players, and here's a breakdown of their retained squad:

Elite Retained Players:

1. Sachin - Star raider, Sachin, will continue to represent Patna Pirates. His consistent contributions were instrumental in reaching the finals in the 8th season, and in the 9th season, he emerged as the top raider with 176 points in 20 matches, ranking eighth among the top raiders.

2. Neeraj Kumar - Patna Pirates retained Neeraj Kumar, who plays in the right cover position. Despite a less stellar performance in the previous season, where he scored only 29 points in 21 matches, his experience and leadership qualities may see him as a potential team captain.

Retained Young Players:

1. Manish - Patna Pirates retained Manish, a defender, despite his less-than-impressive performance in the previous season with just eight points in 13 matches.

New Young Players:

1. T Yuvraj - In the New Young Players category, Patna Pirates have retained four players. Among them, T Yuvraj, a left-corner raider, showed promise by scoring five points in three matches last season.

2. Navin Sharma - Another young player retained is Navin Sharma, who plays in the right corner position. He played eight matches in the previous season, amassing 17 points, indicating room for improvement.

3. Ranjit Nayak - Patna Pirates also held on to Ranjit Nayak, a young raider who had limited opportunities in the 9th season, participating in only five matches and earning 12 points.

4. Anuj Kumar - Anuj Kumar, another raider in this category, received limited chances in the 9th season, playing just five matches and earning 12 points, but his potential earned him a spot in the retained squad.

These are the players Patna Pirates have retained and added to their squad as they gear up for the upcoming Pro Kabaddi League season.