PKL 12: Big blow for Bengaluru Bulls as star NYP Pirati Srivatejesh ruled out of Pro Kabaddi 2025

Bengaluru Bulls will miss the services of Pirati Srivatejesh for the entire season.

Bengaluru Bulls have been dealt with a massive blow ahead of the upcoming Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 (PKL 12). Their much-sought-after NYP (New Young Player), Pirati Srivatejesh, has been ruled out of Pro Kabaddi 2025.

The young left raider announced via his Instagram story. The young Indian kabaddi player was the only player from Andhra Pradesh to get selected to play in the upcoming edition of the Pro Kabaddi League.

Pirati Srivatejesh sustained an injury in his right hand reportedly during the pre-season camp with Bengaluru Bulls in Tirupati, and will be out of action for PKL 12.

Who is Pirati Srivatejesh?

The 21-year-old has played in two editions of the Yuva Kabaddi Series (YKS). Pirati played in the 2023 Monsoon Edition for the Nilgri Knights. He bagged 30 points from 11 matches, including 29 raid points (23 touch points and 6 raid points) and one tackle point.

Pirati Srivatejesh represented Vizag Victors in the 11th edition of the Yuva Kabaddi Series. The left raider earned 78 points from eight encounters, including 77 raid points and one tackle point. The Indian player bagged 61 touch points and 16 bonus points from a total of 91 raids in YKS Edition 11.

Overall, the raider has earned 108 points from 19 matches across two editions in the Yuva Kabaddi Series.

Bengaluru Bulls eye redemption in PKL 12

After a dismal Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 campaign, where Bengaluru Bulls finished last with just three wins out of 22 matches, the franchise has made sweeping changes to rebuild ahead of Season 12. The Bulls lost 19 games and put up the least effective performance of any side, prompting their management to take bold steps.

The biggest change came with the end of an era as head coach Randhir Singh Sehrawat was released after serving 11 seasons at the helm.

The Bulls, who clinched their only PKL title in Season 6 after defeating Gujarat Giants 38-33 in the final, have now turned to a familiar and successful name to lead their rebuild—BC Ramesh.

The former assistant coach of Bengaluru Bulls during their title-winning run in 2018, Ramesh, went on to guide Bengal Warriors and Puneri Paltan to PKL trophies in Seasons 7 and 10, respectively.

To rebuild the core, they signed top defender Ankush Rathee, right-corner Yogesh Dahiya—their most expensive buy—and raider Akash Shinde.

Bengaluru Bulls squad for PKL 12:

Here is the Bengaluru Bulls squad for the upcoming edition of the Pro Kabaddi League:

Raiders: Manjeet, Pankaj, Ganesha B. Hanamantagol (right raider), Aashish Malik (right raider), Shubham Bitake, Mahipal, Akash Shinde.

Defenders: Lucky Kumar (right cover), Deepak S (left corner), Shubham Rahate (left cover), Manish, Satyappa Matti (right cover), Ankush (left corner), Sanjay (right cover), Yogesh (right corner).

All-rounders: Chandranaik M, Amit Singh Thakur, Sahil Suhas Rane, Sachin, Ahmadreza Asgari (F), Alireza Mirzaeian (F), Dheeraj.

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