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The Jaipur Pink Panthers have named experienced raider Arjun Deshwal as their captain for the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) 2024 on Thursday (October 10). The announcement comes ahead of the PKL season, beginning on October 18 in Hyderabad.
Deshwal made his PKL debut in 2018 for the U Mumba and went on to play for them until 2019. However, the 25-year-old gained popularity after joining the Panthers in the 2021 season, where he secured 267 raid points. He then amassed 296 raid points and helped the franchise secure their second title in 2022.
In the last edition, Deshwal maintained his supreme form to help the side qualify for the playoffs. He garnered 276 raid points in 23 games and had a 50 percent success rate. Overall, he has 947 raid points in 91 appearances, with 53 Super 10s. As a result, he was retained by the franchise ahead of the PKL 2024 auction.
Here's what Arjun Deshwal said on his appointment as Jaipur Pink Panthers captain (via Sportstar):
“I’m looking forward to another season in the PKL, the team has been training hard and I am looking forward to carrying this team along and hopefully this time I can help lead Jaipur Pink Panthers to their third silverware."
Deshwal was also part of the Indian team, which secured a gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. He was the finest raider for the Lucknow Lions, as they clinched the Uttar Pradesh Kabaddi League 2024 title.
How did Jaipur Pink Panthers fare in Pro Kabaddi League 2023?
The Jaipur Pink Panthers were sensational with their performances in the PKL 2023 to win 16 out of 22 games and finish second in the league stage.
However, the side faced a 27-31 loss against the Haryana Steelers in the second semi-final to get knocked out of the tournament. Ankush Rathee was the Panthers' best-performing defender with 70 tackle points to his name. As a result, the side retained him for the 2024 season.
In the PKL 2024 auction, the franchise secured the services of experienced players like Surjeet Singh, Shrikant Jadhav and Vikash Khandola. It will be interesting to see if the Arjun Deshwal-led side can win their third PKL title.
