PKL 8: Gujarat Giants continue to falter under pressure of playoffs

The pressure of the knockouts got the better of the team once again.

The Gujarat Giants managed to reach the playoffs of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 8. Despite finishing in third place on the points table, they could not lift the title. They won 10 of their 22 matches, lost eight and played out ties four times. The season began amidst a lot of tie results, but the outfit stitched a few wins together to secure a playoffs spot.

Bengaluru Bulls defeated the Giants in the playoffs, thus eliminating them from the tournament. The team could not handle the pressure and crumbled.

Defence was underwhelming

The defence of Gujarat Giants was strong on-paper before the Pro Kabaddi League season began. Manpreet Singh reinforced the backline of the term. Girish Ernak, Sunil Kumar, Pravesh Bhainswal, and Ravinder Pahal were some of the major names in the defensive department. While Pravesh was good, the others could not make an impact on the team’s performances.

Pravesh Bhainswal scored 56 points in 23 matches and was in ninth place in the overall tournament standings. Girish Ernak managed 46 points in 19 matches. The skipper Sunil Kumar scored only 38 tackle points in 23 matches. While Ravinder Pahal was a big disappointment, scoring only 12 points in eight games. The total of 152 points from them was not enough at the end of the day and underwhelming, to say the least.

New raiders showed their quality

The Gujarat Giants had a lot of experience in defence, but their raiding department lacked that. Despite a lack of experience, the raiders gave a good account of themselves. Rakesh, Akay Kumar, Rakesh Narwal and Pradeep Kumar showed their qualities and potential to be ranked amongst the best raiders in the division.

Rakesh scored the most points for Gujarat Giants, delivering 140 points in 22 fixtures. Rakesh Narwal managed 81 points in 16 matches, Ajay Kumar got 79 points in 17 appearances and Pradeep Kumar scored 79 points in 17 outings as well. Manpreet Singh, the head coach, gave a chance to the duo of Pradeep and Ajay after the initial matches.

Gujarat Giants could not overcome playoffs jinx

Some teams like the Gujarat Giants perform well in the league stage, but are not ready for the challenge of the playoffs. A similar thing happened in Season 8 as well. Finishing third in the league table was promising, but then the team crumbled against the Bulls in the playoffs. 

The Giants have lost two final fixtures if one looks at their history in the PKL. They did so in Seasons 5 and 6, reaching the final, but losing in the end. The pressure of the knockout matches is nerve-wracking for Gujarat Giants. Failure to break the jinx of the playoffs will be a major disappointment for the outfit. In order to get their hands on the trophy, the Giants must get over this mental block. Bringing in players who have a winning mentality will be a step in the right direction.

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