PKL 11: Key battles to watch out for in Match 63, Puneri Paltan vs UP Yoddhas

Puneri Paltan are in third place in the PKL 11 table.

Puneri Paltan come into the PKL 11 game against UP Yoddhas after a run of three winless games in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 11 since losing their captain and last season’s MVP Aslam Inamdar. The 24-year-old all-rounder suffered a knee injury against the Telugu Titans and had to be taken off the mat. 

The Paltans lost the game narrowly before the franchise had to declare their captain out for the season. They have since dropped points in the two games they have played against Dabang Delhi and Jaipur Pink Panthers. This has seen the defending champions drop to the third spot on the PKL 11 table with 34 points from 10 games. They have five wins, three losses and two draws so far.

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Even in the absence of the captain and India international, Pune continues to be a formidable side, with the likes of Pankaj Mohite, Akash Shinde, and Mohit Goyat contributing through raids. Gaurav Khatri and Aman are amongst the best 10-15 defenders in the league. They would still fancy their chances against a struggling UP Yoddhas who have only one win from their previous five PKL 11 games.

The Yoddhas will also be without their captain Surender Gill. But the absence of Gill would be because he has struggled in all but one game while going to raids. With just one Super 10 and 30 points from raids, Surender Gill is placed 28th on the list of raiders with the most points in the PKL 11. The likes of Gagan Gowda, Bhavani Rajput, and Shivam Chaudhary have been tried as the support raider of the team with Bharat Hooda taking on the key raider’s duties from the UP Yoddhas captain.

UP Yoddhas would look to build momentum and perform strongly in defence. The Yoddhas have only the sixth-best average tackle points in the league in PKL 11 and a lot of it is down to the exceptional form displayed by their two corners, Hitesh and Sumit Sangwan. Sumit, in particular, has been one of the best defenders in the league this season. However, he has struggled for support, with the likes of Sahul Kumar, Ashu Singh, Mahender Singh, and the Iranian Mohammadreza Kaboudrahangi being tried by Jasveer Singh in the defence. That being said, let us take a look at the key battles that can decide the outcome of the PKL 11 match.

Mohit Goyat vs Sumit

Mohit Goyat has been the most consistent performer for Puneri Paltan in PKL 11, even when their captain Aslam Inamdar was playing for them. He leads the team in most points scored through raids for the season. Sumit is, as aforementioned, the best defender and the highest-scoring one from the Yoddhas side.

The Paltans have the second-lowest average raid points scored from a game in Season 11 of the Pro Kabaddi League, highlighting what could be the reason behind the recent struggles. This is what UP Yoddhas would have to make the most of if they were to win the game, and Sumit would be their go-to man in the defence.

Gaurav Khatri vs Bharat Hooda

Gaurav Khatri is Puneri Paltan’s answer to Sumit Sangwan of the UP Yoddhas. The defender from the Pune-based franchise leads the league in the most points scored through tackles list. The right corner has four High 5s in the season, most of all the players in the league. 

Bharat Hooda has pulled his socks up and performed when the depth of the Yoddhas has fallen short in the raiding department in PKL 11. Bharat has five Super 10s from nine games, only bettered by three other raiders in the league.

Aman vs Bhavani Rajput

Aman has 29 tackle points, three super tackles, and three High 5s in PKL 11. These numbers reflect the performance of someone who could easily be seen as a top-five defender in the league this season. If not for Gaurav Khatri, the left-corner would have been more active and hence had better numbers.

Bhavani Rajput has come back in form after his performance in the game against Telugu Titans. He scored his first Super 10 of the season and will hope to continue his performance against the struggling Paltans.

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