PKL 12: Gujarat Giants full squad list ft. Mohammadreza Shadloui

Gujarat Giants made the most expensive buy of the PKL 12 auction, Mohammadreza Shadloui, for ₹2.23

Gujarat Giants had a forgettable outing in the Pro Kabaddi League last season, finishing 11th, just one spot above Bengaluru Bulls. Out of their 22 matches, they managed to win only 5, losing 14 matches. After their disappointing campaign, the two-time runners-up parted ways with head coach Ram Mehar Singh and appointed Jaivir Sharma as the new head coach.

Gujarat was looking for a complete overhaul of the team in PKL 12, and having recorded the lowest number of raid points last season and also being in the bottom four for defence points, the plan was clear: to get a top-quality defender and a decent support raider.

Gujarat Giants started the auction proceedings with a blockbuster signing of Mohammadreza Shadloui. They bought last year’s MVP and the Iranian all-rounder for a whopping ₹2.23 crore, making him the most expensive player of the auction. Shadloui’s inclusion not only strengthens the defence but also adds the X factor to the squad, as he can even contribute to raiding at the crucial moment. His presence certainly boosts the Gujarat side, and he can be the game-changer for them.

To support Shadloui in defence, Gujarat Giants added players like Rohit Kumar, Shubham Kumar, and Lucky Sharma, while Himanshu Jaglan was retained after a decent outing last season and will be the right corner for Gujarat. They have also added a couple of all-rounders to provide flexibility in the squad.

They already have their raiders core ready with Parteek Dahiya and Rakesh Sungroya already being retained; they needed a decent raider who can add depth to the squad. They have shown faith in Ajith Kumar, who initially went unsold, but then Gujarat bought him later.

They have bought a couple of new and young players, and it will be interesting to see how good the scouting of Gujarat is. In the presence of Shadloui, Gujarat’s defence looks promising, and we have to see how other defenders support Shadloui on the mat. Their raiding department got a boost with Ajith Kumar, who can be handy if used well.

Gujarat Giants squad for the PKL 12:

Raiders: Himanshu Singh, Himanshu, Rakesh HS, Parteek Dahiya, Ajith V Kumar, K Harish, Ankit, Sridhar Ananda Kadam (NYP)

Defenders: Rohit Kumar, Lucky Sharma, Shubham Kumar, Sumit, Amit

All-Rounders: Mohammedreza Shadloui Chiyaneh, Milad Jabbari, Nitin Panwar, Visvanth V, Himanshu Yadav

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