PKL 12: List of all captains in Pro Kabaddi 2025

Every team looks strong and balanced in PKL 12.

The thrill of the Pro Kabaddi League 12 among fans is inversely proportional to the number of days left until its commencement. PKL 12 will begin on Friday, August 29, 2025. The first leg will be played in Vizag.

With two weeks left on the calendar, teams have begun to announce captains and vice captains of their teams for the upcoming season. Some teams have shown faith in their last season’s captain, while some teams have given a chance to new names.

Also Read: PKL 12: List of all vice-captains in Pro Kabaddi 2025

So far, five teams have announced their captains for PKL 12, and here’s the list of them.

List of all captains in PKL 12-

Patna Pirates: Ankit Jaglan

Ankit Jaglan led the Patna Pirates to the PKL 11 final with a young team behind him. The franchise has once again shown faith in the defender. This time, he won’t have his star raider, Devank Dalal, on his side, which will be a challenge for him. However, he has been replaced by the mighty Maninder, along with Ayan Lohchab and Sudhakar M.

On the other hand, in the defence, the management has created a solid defensive unit, which makes them a strong team for title contention.

Also Read: PKL: Top five interesting stats of Pro Kabaddi League

Tamil Thalaivas: Pawan Sehrawat

The Hi-flyer, Pawan Sehrawat, found a new team in the PKL 12 auction and has been given the duty to lead the team. Sehrawat has led multiple teams in the past and possesses extensive experience. This season, he will lead Tamil Thalaivas. The Thalaivas are one of the strongest teams on paper, with some star names in their squad

Apart from Sehrawat, they have the likes of Arjun Deshwal and Narendra Kandola in the raiding department. In the defence, Sagar Rathee, Nitesh Kumar, Anuj Gawade, and Himanshu will be a definite threat to the opposition.

Telugu Titans: Vijay Malik

Vijay Malik shone in the previous PKL season and turned out to be a crucial asset when the team needed him the most. He captained the side in PKL 11, in the absence of Pawan Sehrawat, and impressed everyone with his leadership qualities. In the upcoming season, he has been named the full-time captain of the Titans.

Malik led the team spectacularly in season 11, and the franchise will expect nothing less this time. The Telugu Titans had one of the best all-time finishes in PKL 11, and Malik deserves credit for that.

In PKL 12, the Titans have refined their previous mistakes and have gathered a brilliant squad. Bharat Hooda, Shubham Shinde, Aman, and Jai Bhagwan are some of the best buys for them. They have picked up the assets for clinching the title; it will be interesting to see how Malik uses his troops this time around.

UP Yoddhas: Sumit Sangwan

UP Yoddhas stuck to their core squad from PKL 11 for the upcoming season as well. They have elected Sumit Sangwan to hold the leadership position once again, as he did with finesse the last time he was given the opportunity.

Sangwan has been handed over a well-oiled team that dominated magnificently in the previous season, especially in the latter half of the tournament.

Moreover, they have acquired a couple of good raiders, such as Guman Singh and Pranay Rane, in their squad, which further strengthens their raiding department. Last time, they missed the trophy by a few steps. It will be interesting to see how they turn out in PKL 12.

Also Read: PKL: List of all cities that have hosted Pro Kabaddi League

U Mumba: Sunil Kumar

It was a no-brainer for the U Mumba franchise when it came to electing the captain. They have got one of the best Kabaddi brains currently in the league.

Sunil Kumar has been a fantastic leader, and he proved that in the previous season as well. He has been given the responsibility once again and will be expected to deliver a better result in 2025. Mumba retained most of their star players from PKL 11. Moreover, they have added a bunch of young talent to their squad.

Haryana Steelers: Jaideep Dahiya

With the 12th season getting closer, defending champions Haryana Steelers have retained Jaideep Dahiya as their captain for the upcoming season. The franchise have also named Rahul Sethpal as the vice-captain for the 12th edition of the Pro Kabaddi League.

Under the leadership of Jaideep Dahiya, Haryana Steelers won their maiden PKL title in the previous edition. Left cover, Jaideep has been part of the Haryana Steelers squad since making his PKL debut in 2021. He has played four seasons with the Haryana-based franchise and ended the previous season with 39 points in 21 matches.

Gujarat Giants: Mohammadreza Shadloui

Ahead of the upcoming season, Gujarat Giants announced star all-rounder Mohammadreza Shadloui as their new captain. This year’s PKL auction was a landmark for the Giants, headlined by the signing of Iranian powerhouse Mohammadreza Shadloui for ₹2.23 crore, the highest bid of PKL Season 12.

A two-time PKL champion, reigning MVP, and multiple-time Best Defender, Shadloui brings unmatched defensive firepower and proven leadership credentials.

Dabang Delhi: Ashu Malik

Dabang Delhi have appointed Ashu Malik as their captain for the 12th edition of the league. The franchise announced this news via a social media post on Wednesday, August 20.

The Haryana-born Raider will become the seventh player to lead Dabang Delhi full-time. He will be the third raider after Kashling Adake and Naveen to wear the captaincy arm band. This is a widely expected move as Ashu Malik was retained for two seasons for Rs 1.90 crore using the final bid match option. 

Jaipur Pink Panthers: Nitin Rawal

Two-time champions Jaipur Pink Panthers have appointed Nitin Rawal as their captain for the 12th edition of the league. The franchise announced this news via a social media post on Monday, August 25.

Nitin, who first joined the Pink Panthers in Season 5 as a New Young Player (NYP), was with the team until Season 8 and has rejoined the squad this year.

Bengal Warriorz: Devank Dalal

Bengal Warriorz have announced raiding sensation Devank Dalal as their captain for Season 12 of the Pro Kabaddi League.

Devank, who Bengal Warriorz signed for ₹2.205 crore as the most expensive Indian player at the PKL 12 auction, comes into the campaign after a record-shattering run.

In Season 11, he finished as the league’s top raider with 301 raid points, joining the elite company as one of the few players ever to cross the 300-point mark in a single season.

Puneri Paltan: Aslam Inamdar

Puneri Paltan have announced star all-rounder Aslam Inamdar as their captain for PKL 12. Aslam became the captain of Puneri for the third consecutive time. He led the team to their maiden PKL title in Season 10.

Bengaluru Bulls: Ankush Rathee

Bengaluru Bulls have announced star defender Ankush Rathee as their captain for PKL 12. This will be the first season that Ankush will play as a captain.

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