PKL 11: Top five all-rounders who will be retained by their teams

These stars were in top form for their respective teams during the last season.

The 11th season of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL 11) is expected to begin during the league’s regular July–September schedule. The first part of the preseason preparations for teams is the player auction. The auction will take place at the end of May after discussions between the PKL organizers and host broadcaster Star Sports.

The Auction dynamics seemed to be playing a huge role in the outcome of the season. The cost of the player has been rising annually, and this year won’t be any different. All-rounders are a rare commodity with players being effective in both Raiding and defensive roles. Let us tell you, who are the top five all-rounders that can be retained by their teams.

Mohammadreza Chiyaneh – Puneri Paltan

Mohammadreza Chiyaneh has taken the Pro Kabaddi League by storm in the last three seasons. At the left corner has been an impeccable force and the Iranian has established himself as one of the best defenders in PKL history. Having already won the best defender award twice in three seasons, his defensive tactics are well-documented. PKL 10 saw him shine as a Raider as well in tough situations to keep his team in the hunt every game. He will again be the cornerstone for Pune’s challenge in the next season.

Aslam Inamdar – Puneri Paltan

Puneri Paltan’s skipper, Aslam Inamdar, was crucial to their title triumph in season 10. He collected 142 raid points and 26 tackle points in 23 games proving to be one of the best all-rounders of the game. Other than that, everything about his leadership was excellent. In honor of his achievements as the captain and a versatile player, he was chosen as the Most Valuable Player of the Season. Despite being relatively young, he captained the squad and had the most impact because of his combination with Shadloui. For their title defense, the men in orange should exhibit the same level of leadership.

Amirmohammad Zafardanesh – U Mumba

The PKL 10 Auctions garnered big attention when the coach of Iran and U Mumba Gholamreza Mazandarani bid heavily to get the services of Amimohammad Zafardanesh. The youngster was impressive in his debut season amassing 148 points. U Mumba might want to retain him and build a squad around him. The season two champions have a history of homing quality players like Anup Kumar, Mohit Chillar, and Surender Nada, and the 19-year-old Iranian could be the next one on the list.

Parteek Dahiya – Gujarat Giants

The Gujarat Giants’ journey to the playoffs was plotted by their coach and captain duo of Ram Mehar Singh and Fazel Atrachalli. One of the primary players who helped them is Prateek Dahiya. In the Pro Kabaddi League’s tenth season, he gave a standout performance. Having played in 20 games, Prateek Dahiya scored 141 points. The Gujarat Giants have high hopes for Prateek Dahiya once again because of his crucial efforts in numerous games and they will look to retain him ahead of the next season.

Vijay Malik – UP Yoddhas

Vijay Malik was one of the pivotal members in the success of Dabang Delhi which prompted UP Yoddhas to hire him for the tenth season. But, he couldn’t replicate the success as he could only 47 points, his lowest for a season in his PKL career. But Yoddhas had a forgettable season 10 and if they decide to let go of Pardeep Narwal to boost their Auction purse, they would have Vijay’s name on the top of the retention list. The 28-year-old has shown maturity and his performances were crucial in Delhi winning the championship. The Yoddhas would want that Vijay to be on display and they will be punting on him ahead of the auctions.

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