PKL: Bengal Warriors should retain these players for next season

The outfit should keep only three players from the current setup.

Bengal Warriors were a major force before the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 8 began. There were a lot of expectations from the team that won the seventh season of the competition. The defending champions were favourites for the eighth season too and fans were eagerly hoping for a strong performance. 

However, against all expectations, the outfit had a disappointing campaign. They won a total of nine matches from 22 and ended up losing 10 fixtures, while three ended in ties. Eventually, the Season 7 champions failed to make it to the playoffs in Season 8, which was truly shocking.

A major issue for the team was a lack of support to skipper Maninder Singh. There were several disappointments in the lineup, who gave underwhelming performances. Failing to provide support to the captain and being weak in all departments meant that the team finished among the lower places on the table. Ran Singh was a positive but he was not enough in defence alone to guide the team to wins. 

The team must look toward the upcoming season of the PKL. One of the first steps that they must take is retaining players that deserve a spot in the lineup. Let us take a look at the players that can be retained by the Warriors for the next PKL edition:

Maninder Singh should be the priority

The decision to retain Maninder Singh should be an obvious one. The outfit must retain their skipper, who was one of the best performers in Season 8 of the PKL. He has the ability to change the complexion of any match single-handedly. 

The raider was a consistent performer during the latest season, delivering a monumental total of 264 points from 22 matches. He was the third-highest when it comes to scoring the most number of raid points. He is a reliable player, one that can continue to lead Bengal Warriors in the forthcoming matches. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5Cc0D4qick

Mohammad Nabibakhsh should get another chance

The previous season was not ideal for the Iranian all-rounder. He did not perform to the best of his abilities. He scored 108 points in 20 outings in the raiding department and was slightly weak in defence as well. Having said that, Nabibakhsh is such a player that will be an unstoppable force once he finds his form. 

After all, he was crucial in helping the Warriors to the title in Season 7. Finding such a player, in case of no retention could lead to trouble. He collected points on major moments and also showed the ability to prevent his team from suffering all-outs. These are some of the reasons Mohammad deserves retention in the upcoming campaign. 

Ran Singh can be trusted once again

The defence was one of the key areas that let Bengal Warriors down. Vishal Mane scored only five points in six matches, for instance. Abozar Maighani was also underwhelming in his display, scoring only 43 points in 22 fixtures. 

Among these players, Ran Singh was one who was more solid and got many opportunities to showcase his talent. He scored 35 points in 14 outings, playing a key role in a few victories as well. His presence gave the defence a sense of composure. His experience also serves as an asset, allowing him to lead any defence. This is precisely why the Bengal Warriors should retain the player in the auctions.

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