PKL 12: Three players Puneri Paltan should target in auction

Puneri Paltan have retained three elite players before the auction.

Season 10 champion, Puneri Paltan, finished 8th in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) season 11. They could not carry their momentum and delivered an average performance in the previous season. Moving on to the forthcoming season, Paltan have started well with some smart retentions ahead of the auction. If they can make some good buys on May 31 and June 1, they will certainly increase their chances of lifting another PKL trophy.

Puneri Paltan have retained 3 Elite Players (Pankaj Mohite, Abinesh Nadarajan and Gaurav Khatri) and 4 Retained Young Players (Aslam Inamdar, Mohit Goyat, Dadaso Pujari and Aditya Shinde). These retained players give them a strong balance of attack and defence. Going into the auction strategy, they would want to strengthen their balance even more by adding crucial experts to their respective departments.

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Analysing their previous season, they lacked a front raider who could bring them raiding points at a regular interval. Moreover, they might also look for a defender who can anchor their defence alongside Gaurav Khatri. Looking at their retentions, here are the three players Puneri Paltan should go after in the PKL 12 auction.

3. Akash Shinde

Puneri Paltan needs a strong line-up of raiders in the upcoming season. Akash Shinde is one addition they should make to their squad that can make them stronger. Shinde scored 92 raid points in the previous season and was a part of the Paltan army.

Moreover, Puneri Paltan can use FBM in the auction to get Akash Shinde in their squad and get their star raider back. They have three FBM cards, and it will be interesting to see if they use one on Shinde or not.

2. Ashu Malik

Ashu Malik is a dynamic raider. He plays aggressively and can win matches as a one-man army. Malik had a spectacular season 11, where he scored 262 raid points and was the second-best raider of the season.

He is exactly the kind of raider Puneri Paltan would need in their team. Malik’s experience and his game awareness make him even more lethal. Puneri Paltan needs an anchor raider to their side, and Ashu Malik will be one of the best options in the auction pool.

Also Read: PKL 12: Three players Patna Pirates should target in auction

1. Mohammadreza Shadloui

Mohammadreza Shadloui is one of the most valuable players in the Pro Kabaddi League at the moment. Shadloui’s spectacular defensive skills, along with his courageous raiding attempts, make him a lethal weapon.

He scored 82 tackle points and raid points in season 11, and turned out to be the crucial player for the PKL 11 champions, Haryana Steelers. He was with the Paltan when they lifted the PKL 10 trophy as well. The Puneri Paltan’s management will be looking to grab him back into their squad as he adds tremendous value to their team.

Ajay Thakur’s Paltan have made sensible retentions and have left a few options open for themselves to explore in the auction. It will be interesting to see if they can get the desired squad on the auction days. The auction pool is vast, but it is also important to keep in mind that other teams would be going after these players as well, and with the minimum purse budget, the buys have to be extremely tactical.

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