PKL 11: Top five all-rounders to watch out for at Pro Kabaddi League season 11

These players will look to contribute in both departments for their teams.

The season 11 of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL 11) is scheduled to begin on the 18th of October. The organizers have opted for a three-city caravan format instead of a traditional one-week one-city format. The league is set to begin in the southern city of Hyderabad before moving to Noida for the second phase.

The home of the Puneri Paltan will host the final league phase before moving to the playoffs and the venue for it is yet to be announced. While the administration part is completed by the organizers, teams have worked out their teams with the Auctions on August 15 and 16. There are multiple personnel changes to all the teams and the fans might take a week to get used to the changes.

Teams made those changes to improve their balance and it is the all-rounders who can fulfill that requirement. Let’s look at the top five all-rounders in the upcoming season (PKL 11).

#5 Vijay Malik – Telugu Titans

The UP Yoddhas paid an incredible Rs 85 lakh to hire Vijay Malik in the auction held ahead of season 10 of PKL. It was set against the backdrop of his incredible three-season run with the Dabang Delhi KC, which included capturing the title in 2021–2022. Unfortunately for the Yoddhas, Vijay finished the season with just 47 points, thus the move didn’t work out as planned.

He was released and without a surprise, he was acquired by Telugu Titans’ coach Krishna Kumar Hooda who shaped him during their days in Delhi. With his remarkable skills and capacity to have a big impact on the game, he could be a great fit for the Titans. He will look to raid Pawan Sherawat to carry out raiding tasks and bolster their defense along with Krishan Dhull.

#4 Ankit – Patna Pirates

The Patna Pirates are well-known for discovering valuable resources for the Kabaddi World. Being the most successful franchise in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League with three titles and seven playoff appearances, the unearthing of talents is the secret behind this success.

Ankit was one such talent made public during season ten when they bid 31.5 lakhs at the auction. He responded to the critics on the court by scoring 66 points while standing like a rock in the right corner. The three-time champions would rely on him to contribute as an all-rounder hence they have retained him as an Elite player.

#3 Amirmohammad Zafardanesh – U Mumba

Gholamreza Mazandarani, the Iranian coach of U Mumba, paid a premium to get Amirmohammad Zafardanesh’s services. It created a commotion during the PKL 10 auctions, but it was not the case as the season two champions retained him ahead of the auction.

U Mumba has built the squad around him as they released their primary raider, Guman Singh. The rookie scored 148 points in his debut campaign. In Iranian Kabaddi circles, the 20-year-old Iranian is considered the next great thing, so expect more from him. With Sunil Malik expected to take over the captaincy, the cover defender will be a wonderful example to learn for the Iranian.

#2 Mohammadreza Shadloui – Haryana Steelers

For the past three seasons, Mohammadreza Shadloui has dominated the Pro Kabaddi League. The Iranian has played a highly dependable left corner position and is one of the best all-arounders players in PKL history. He has won two Best Defender trophies in three seasons. Because of his height, he can easily reach the mid-line and his rapid raids often catch the opposition off guard.

He was the most expensive foreign player last year, earning Rs 2.35cr in pay; the Puneri Paltan may have let him depart to free up some cash. Haryana Steelers stole the show during the Auctions with a bid of 2.07cr which was far away from Paltans’ reach. He will add great value to the team and his raiding duties will be one to watch out for this season as Haryana needs it badly.

#1 Aslam Inamdar – Puneri Paltan

Any team would be happy to keep a captain who led them to a championship that has been out of reach for ten years. Once more, the reigning champions have put their trust in Aslam Inamdar to guide them to victory. An all-around player who was named the most valuable player the previous season would want to prove that he is more than just a one-season wonder.

He has been with the franchise for three years and was given the responsibility of captaincy in his third season. While his raiding duties are very well documented last season saw his defensive skills went a notch up higher. He doubled his tackle points last season including a High-Five and the defending champions would expect him to repeat the same this season.

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