Why Jaipur Pink Panthers fail to defend their title? PKL 10 Season Review

After being favorites to defend the title, Jaipur lost to Haryana in the semifinals.

The Jaipur Pink Panthers, the reigning champions, were also the overwhelming favorites heading into Pro Kabaddi League season 10 (PKL 10). The Pink Panthers had a dismal start to the season, winning just one of their first four games. However, they had an unprecedented run of 13 games without a loss, showing the teams why they are the defending champions.

All teams were hesitant to meet the first-time champions in the playoffs because they had momentum on their side. But you never say never in sports, and it was the Haryana Steelers’ young squad that put up an outstanding performance to knock out the inaugural champions in the semis. Nevertheless a successful campaign for the men in pink and let’s dig deep into the success story.

Top Performers

Arjun Deshwal

Arjun Deshwal was a sensation when the Pink Panthers lifted the title in season nine. Nicknamed ‘The Raid Machine’, he was expected to do the bulk of the scoring, and boy he lived up to the expectations tallying 17 Super 10s and 276 raid points. He was unstoppable in their home as the Best Raider of season nine, and gave it his all, scoring 50 points in four games while leaving the opposing defense flat.

Ankush

Ankush was the best defender last season making his PKL debut and he was retained ahead of season 10. Throughout this season, he exuded an authoritative aura that few players in this league of players had. The young Panther had performed at the corner, displaying his excellent abilities. His position in the left corner ensured that many of the right raiders were struggling to get points. He ended the season with 70 tackle points which included eight High-5s.

Reza Mirbagheri

One of the important reasons why Jaipur Pink Panthers were considered favorites this season was their never-give-up attitude even when there are fewer defenders on the mat. In fact, they considered it as an opportunity to score more points through Super tackles and one man who championed the cause was Reza Mirbagheri. He finished the season with nine super tackles the second-most this season for any defender and was one of the cornerstones of the Panthers’ journey.

Underperformers

Rahul Chaudhari

Once a superstar of the game, Rahul Chaudhari hardly made an impact in season 10 of the Pro Kabaddi League. It has been the case for a while now and it was disappointing to see the 30-year-old sulking the way he did. There were no big expectations as the Panthers already had the squad and fans were eagerly waiting to see him explode into his old self. It turned out to be a season to forget as he hardly played. He featured in four games scoring six points only.

Special Mentions

Kabaddi is a game of seconds where things change in a jiffy. Players get very minimal time to settle as they have to be bang on from the first second. Two Raiders who did that for the Panthers were Ajith Kumar and Bhavani Rajput. Both might not own the limelight as that of Arjun Deshwal but they played their role to perfection reviving Arjun and also giving him ample rest. These two will continue to grow big in the game of Kabaddi. Another name who needs appreciation is their skipper Sunil Kumar whose calm head made a lot of difference for the defending champions.

Best Performances

UP Yoddhas 30 – 67 Jaipur Pink Panthers Match 117

Jaipur Pink Panthers 36 – 34 Puneri Paltans Match 69

Tamil Thalaivas 24 – 25 Jaipur Pink Panthers Match 36

Manager’s Report Card – Sanjeev Kumar Baliyan

Finding raw talent is Sanjeev Kumar Baliyan’s forte, and season nine was a prime illustration of this. In addition to identifying Arjun Deshwal as a future star and enlisting Ajith Kumar to assist him, he also acquired Ankush, who became the finest defender in his rookie campaign. Ankush surpassed the record of 89 tackles by a rookie in a Pro Kabaddi League season.

Season 10 was no different, as he backed his players by retaining most of them. He understood the fact that he couldn’t ask Arjun to do scoring every time. Hence apart from having Ajith as a secondary Raider, Sanjeev also put his bet on a tall lanky Bhavani Rajput who would just stretch his hands out to find the mid-line and secure crucial points. Such tactics helped the Panthers finish in the top two at the end of the league stage for the second consecutive season.

Lessons to be Learned

No matter how strong a squad a team can have, it has to be performed on the day to win a game. This was the one-line description of Jaipur Pink Panthers’ journey in season 10. They had the complete squad having won the title last season. The only realistic opposition was seen to be the Puneri Paltans who looked invincible.

But it was the Haryana Steelers who defeated the inaugural champions in the semifinals. It was a closely fought game and it showed that more than the names it is the resilience of the players that mattered the most. Jaipur would take this in their stride and move forward to prepare for the next season.

Fan’s View

For Jaipur Pink Panthers’ fans, the last two years have been a dream come true, having a great squad with scintillating performances, their players have been impeccable with their performance. Even in the home leg, the Panthers won four out of four games. They even managed an incredible run of 13 games without a loss. Apart from clinching their third title and equaling Patna Pirates’ record, the Panthers virtually did everything a fan would ask for. They would want to retain most of their squad going into season 11 of PKL.

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