PKL 10: Probable captains of every team

Within these players, every quality required to become a team leader is present.

Ahead of the upcoming season of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL 10), there has been much talk about several players whose bids in the auction raised eyebrows among fans. Bids in the millions were seen for many players, and all teams have tried to create their best combinations.

The performance of any team in PKL depends on the captain as well. Therefore, everyone is eager to know who can captain their respective teams in the tenth season. In this article, let's find out about all those players who can captain their teams in PKL 10.

Bengal Warriors – Maninder Singh

When the Bengal Warriors released Maninder Singh before the start of PKL 10, it seemed like the team was about to get a new captain. However, the Warriors bought back Maninder for a hefty sum of 2.12 crores and handed him the captaincy once again. Maninder has been outstanding as a raider, and the team management will want him to lead Bengal to become the PKL champions once again in the seventh season.

Gujarat Giants – Fazel Atrachali

Fazel Atrachali was acquired by Gujarat Giants for 1.6 crores in the PKL 10 auction. He led Puneri Paltan to the finals in the ninth season as the captain. Being successful as a captain, his arrival will strengthen Gujarat's defense. In PKL 9, Gujarat, led by coach Chandran Ranjit, couldn't reach the playoffs. However, with Atrachali as the captain, they might change their fortunes in the upcoming season.

Bengaluru Bulls – Saurabh Nandal

In the last few seasons, Saurabh Nandal has established himself as one of the standout defenders in PKL. In PKL 9, he earned 72 tackle points, making him one of the most successful defenders of the season. With the former captain Mahender Singh now with U Mumba and Nandal having played for the Bulls since 2019, he is familiar with the team's strategies. Hence, there is a possibility that Saurabh Nandal might be appointed as the captain of Bengaluru Bulls in PKL 10.

Dabang Delhi – Naveen Kumar

Dabang Delhi retained Naveen Kumar for PKL 10, who led the team to the playoffs last year but couldn't make it to the finals. Despite being a young player, Naveen's captaincy didn't seem to affect his performance adversely. Therefore, it is possible that he might continue as the captain of Delhi in the upcoming season.

Patna Pirates – Neeraj Kumar

In the ninth season of the Pro Kabaddi League, Neeraj Kumar, a defender, couldn't lead three-time champions Patna Pirates to the playoffs. The team only managed to win 8 out of 22 matches. Despite this average performance, Patna Pirates surprised everyone by retaining Neeraj Kumar and appointing him as the captain for PKL 10. Neeraj will aim to not only improve the team's performance but also enhance his individual gameplay.

Haryana Steelers – Chandran Ranjit

Chandran Ranjit is one of the most experienced players in PKL history, having captained Gujarat Giants in PKL 9. This time, Haryana Steelers placed a bid of 62 lakhs and acquired him. Although the team has Siddharth Desai, a seasoned player, as an option, Ranjit's experience might earn him the captaincy role.

Jaipur Pink Panthers – Sunil Kumar

Jaipur Pink Panthers, one of the teams that retained most players from PKL 9, includes Sunil Kumar in the list. Sunil Kumar served as the captain of the team in the previous season. Since he led Jaipur to become champions in PKL 9, it is unlikely that the team will make a change in the captaincy.

Telugu Titans – Pawan Sehrawat

Due to injury, Pawan Sehrawat couldn't play for Tamil Thalaivas last year. However, Telugu Titans acquired him for 2.6 crores in PKL 10. Sehrawat, who previously captained Bengaluru Bulls and led the Indian team to a gold medal in the 2023 Asian Games, brings valuable captaincy experience. Therefore, Titans have entrusted him with the captaincy for PKL 10.

Puneri Paltan – Mohammadreza Shadlu

Iranian defender Mohammadreza Shadlu has become a talking point in the PKL 10 auction, with Pune Paltan securing him for 2.35 crores. Pune released Fazel Atrachali this time, and with the arrival of Shadlu, the team aims to have a foreign captain once again.

Tamil Thalaivas – Sagar Rathi

After Pawan Sehrawat's unavailability due to injury in PKL 9, Sagar Rathi took over as the captain of Tamil Thalaivas. Under his captaincy, the team reached the playoff stage. Since Rathi has been retained this time, it is likely that Tamil Thalaivas will stick with him as the captain.

U Mumba – Mahender Singh

Despite having talented players, U Mumba failed to reach the playoffs in PKL 9. This time, they have added experienced defender Mahender Singh to their roster. Considering his experience and leadership skills, there is a high possibility that Mahender Singh might take over the captaincy from Surinder Singh, who captained Gujarat Giants in the last season.

UP Yoddhas – Pardeep Narwal

In PKL 9, UP Yoddhas handed over the captaincy to Pardeep Narwal midway through the season. Narwal, known for his raiding prowess, successfully led the team to the playoffs. Since Narwal has been retained for PKL 10, there is a good chance that UP Yoddhas will once again rely on him as their captain.