PKL 11: What's going wrong for Pardeep Narwal's Bengaluru Bulls in Pro Kabaddi 2024?

Bengaluru Bulls have started PKL 11 with three consecutive losses.

Bengaluru Bulls have been one of the most prominent teams in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League. The Bengaluru-based outfit have been a part of the PKL since its inception and is one of the most successful teams as well. They have made it to the playoffs in six out of the ten seasons while claiming the coveted trophy in season six. They have been runners-up in 2015 and secured the fourth position in 2014.

However, things started going wrong last season. They finished eighth in the league with only eight wins in 22 games. The team that has always been coached by Randhir Singh Sehrawat was desperate for a change and they identified it in none other than their own Pradeep Narwal.

When Coach Randhir Singh Sehrawat suggested that “Dubki King” Pardeep Narwal return to where it all began for him in Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 (PKL 11), it left fans buzzing with excitement. As PKL’s most prolific raider made his way back to the Bengaluru Bulls, many immediately declared the team a strong contender for the title. But reality has been a bit different.

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The PKL 6 champions have had a rough start, losing all three of their opening games – something that hasn’t happened to them in the last five years. They began their campaign with a 37-29 loss to Telugu Titans, followed by a narrow 36-32 defeat against Gujarat Giants. However, their biggest blow came with a 57-36 drubbing at the hands of Narwal’s former team, UP Yoddhas.

Also Read: PKL 11: Where & how to watch Pro Kabaddi 2024 for free outside India?

Pardeep Narwal’s form has been under scrutiny for a while now. His first game back with the Bulls wasn’t his best, although he did make history by surpassing the 1700 raid points milestone. He quickly bounced back, scoring nine points against Gujarat Giants and then a remarkable 16 points against UP Yoddhas. In three matches so far, Pardeep has racked up 28 raid points, averaging 9.33 points per game, with a successful raid percentage of 59.57%. Yet, despite his brilliance, Bengaluru Bulls have struggled. So, where does the problem lie?

A shaky, inexperienced, and inconsistent defence?

Narwal himself pointed to the Bulls’ inexperienced and shaky defense as their main weakness. Captain Saurabh Nandal, the only established defender in the squad, is leading the defense. While Nandal, who has 246 career tackle points in the PKL, brings stability, the rest of the defensive unit lacks experience.

Parteek, Arulnanthababu, and Rohit Kumar have only played one PKL season each and have collectively accumulated just 46 tackle points. Ponparthiban Subramanian, with 40 tackle points across four seasons, hasn’t stepped up as needed.

Despite the addition of experienced left cover defender Surinder Singh, who has 269 tackle points in 119 matches, the Bulls’ defense has been unable to stop top-tier raiders like Pawan Sehrawat and Bharat Hooda.

No support for the ‘Dubki’ king

On the offensive front, Bengaluru Bulls boasted a strong raiding lineup after the PKL 11 auction, but Pardeep Narwal has had little support. Ajinkya Pawar, the seventh most expensive player in the season, has consistently averaged more than 100 raid points across the last three seasons, but he has managed just 12 points in three games.

Jai Bhagwan, another exciting raider signed for INR 63 lakh, has only scored six points so far, while Jatin surprisingly has contributed 11 but they all come nothing close to Narwal’s 28.

As the Bulls prepare to face defending champions Puneri Paltan on October 25, coach Randhir Singh hinted at making drastic changes. Whether these adjustments can turn the Bulls’ fortunes around remains to be seen.

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