PKL 10: Top five contenders to win Orange Arm Band

The Orange Arm Band is given to the player with the most tackle points in the season.

Over the decade of PKL history, the defenders have shown that they are not to be taken lightly, even though the raiders have dazzled with their spectacular raiding techniques. Players like Manjeet Chhillar and Sandeep Narwal have built a name for themselves.

Veterans like Fazel Atrachali and Surjeet Singh are still going strong because they have gained the reputation of being among the best tacklers in the world, not only in the competition. The season has witnessed some impressive defensive guards and there are the top-5 picks who can take home the PKL 10 orange armband.

Mohammadreza Chiyaneh – Puneri Paltan

In just two seasons, Mohammadreza Shadloui has made a name for himself and become a formidable defender. He finished as the second-best defender with 89 tackle points in the eighth season and 84 points in the most recent one. This season, the Iranian has carried on from where he left off the previous year, making Pune the most well-rounded defensive unit. Every Raider entering the mat is put in danger by his position in the left corner, and it will be challenging to remove the orange armband from the youngster.

Ankush – Jaipur Pink Panthers

A young defender named Ankush had high expectations for the season after having an outstanding rookie campaign in their championship-winning season 9, when he topped the tackle points chart and won the orange armband. Retained by the Jaipur Pink Panthers, he has shown to be a worthy investment as he has been leading the team to victory and serving as the face of the defensive unit of the reigning champions. He’s now a strong candidate to make a return appearance in PKL 10 thanks to these results.

Yogesh – Dabang Delhi KC

Rambir Singh Khokhar, the coach of Dabang Delhi KC, made a daring statement during the preseason regarding Yogesh, the team’s new defender: he will rank among the top three defenders in the competition. This season, the 20-year-old has impressed numerous experts, living up to his coach’s expectations. Yogesh is a right-corner back who has shown promise in the younger ranks. He is playing for Dabang Delhi KC in his maiden PKL season this year, and he is adjusting to the senior level like a fish to water. Don’t be surprised if the corner defender takes center stage and wins the orange armband.

Ankit Jaglan – Patna Pirates

Many people were taken aback by Mohammedreza Chiyanneh’s release by Patna Pirates. However, Patna had other ideas for the left corner, and even though Ankit Jaglan was in category D, the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) 2023 auction saw him valued highly. As was to be expected, Jaglan started a bidding war between teams. Numerous teams pursued him to bolster their all-around department. Patna Pirates, eventually, secured his services for a hefty fee of ₹31.5 lakhs. The all-rounder could end his debut season with the most tackle points.

Sagar Rathee – Tamil Thalaivas

Sagar Rathee was the find of season nine not just as a captain but also as a right-corner defender. Tamil Thalaivas lost their biggest star Pawan Sehrawat in the first game of the season. The defender took the captaincy and the team to their first playoff in PKL history. He repeated his form as a defender this season as well as he became the first player to score 50 Tackle points this season. But he has been warming the bench recently. If he could play more and if Thalaivas qualifies then Sagar will play a major role in it.

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