PKL 12: Players Dabang Delhi might release before upcoming Pro Kabaddi season
Dabang Delhi had a stellar season, reaching the semifinals of PKL 11.
Dabang Delhi‘s bid for their second title ended at the beginning of this year after they found themselves at a crossroads following their 32-28 defeat to Patna Pirates in the PKL Season 11 semifinal.
That result also ended their record-setting 15-match unbeaten run and crushed their championship hopes.Despite the historic streak, the semifinal exposed glaring weaknesses.
Dabang Delhi’s defence, already under scrutiny, delivered just a 41% tackle success rate in the campaign, failing to hold up in high-pressure moments, and their inability to close out tight games proved costly.
While Ashu Malik led from the front with 18 Super 10s across the season, Naveen Kumar crossed the elite 1100 raid points milestone. Yet, Delhi lacked consistent support from the rest of the roster, especially in do-or-die situations. Now, the former champions face a decisive rebuilding phase ahead of the PKL 12 auctions.
Here are some players Dabang Delhi could release:
Rinku Narwal, Vinay Virender Radhu can be on way out
Rinku Narwal’s lacklustre PKL 11 performance raises serious concerns about his future with Dabang Delhi. The defender, who appeared in just six matches last season, only managed four tackle points with a 40% success rate.
His limited impact, averaging merely 0.66 successful tackles per match, proved insufficient for a team with championship aspirations.
Vinay’s case is the trickiest. He produced flashes of brilliance, a Super 10, a Super Raid, and ended the season with 38 points in 11 matches, but lacked consistency.
His 42.85% raid success rate underlined his hit-or-miss nature. Defensively, he only had tackle points from 10 attempts. For a team building around dependable output, Vinay’s unpredictability may now work against him.
Nitin Panwar, Ashish Malik’s future uncertain too
Nitin Panwar’s versatility failed to translate into consistent performance last season. Despite playing 10 matches, the all-rounder collected just 14 tackle points with a disappointing 30% tackle success rate. More concerning was his complete ineffectiveness in raiding, attempting only three raids without scoring a single point.
Ashish Malik’s case is a curious one. On paper, 46 tackle points in 21 matches and two High 5s suggest a moderate season with Dabang Delhi. Yet, his 41% tackle success rate raises eyebrows, especially for a team with title ambitions. He showed flashes of brilliance but lacked consistency.
Dabang Delhi expected secondary raiding support from Mohit Deshwal. But numbers didn’t translate much, and that could work against him. The raider secured 23 raid points from 15 games, averaging just 1.53 per match. A low 33.82% raid success rate didn’t help either.
Though Deshwal showed glimpses of defensive value (60% tackle success rate), his defensive workload was minimal, just five tackles all season.
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Ajay Gandhar has been part of Khel Now since 2023 and has expertise across a wide range of Olympic sports. While his coverage spans the Olympic spectrum, he is passionate about Badminton, Tennis, Football, and Track and Field. Beyond his primary focus areas, Ajay is also an avid kabaddi enthusiast and closely follows the sport.
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