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The three-time champions Patna Pirates are all set to make a return to the mat in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) 2024. They will play their first game against Puneri Paltan on Monday (October 21) in Hyderabad.
In the last edition, the Pirates qualified for the playoffs after winning 11 out of 22 games in the league stage. However, they lost 37-21 to the eventual champions, Puneri Paltan in the semi-final.
Ahead of the PKL 2024 auction, they retained a total of six players - Ankit Jaglan, Sandeep Kumar, Manish, Abinand Subhash, Kunal Mehta and Sudhakar M. The auction saw them secure the services of 13 players. Among the high-profile signings were Shubham Shinde, Jang Kun Lee, Meetu Sharma, Gurdeep Sangwan and Deepak Rathee.
The franchise has certainly undergone a major overhaul and it will be interesting to see how they perform in the upcoming season. On that note, let's take a look at the predicted playing 7 of the Patna Pirates for the 2024 season.
#1 Shubham Shinde (Right corner)
Talented defender Shubham Shinde has earned a total of 159 points in PKL history, with 151 being tackle points. While playing for the Bengal Warriors last season, he etched his name into the history books.
Shinde scored 11 tackle points against Tamil Thalaivas and entered the list of the top five players with the most tackle points in a single game. Meanwhile, he ended the season with a total of 62 tackle points with a success rate of 48%.
He returns to the Pirates after playing for them in the 2021 edition, where he scored 17 tackle points in 13 games.
#2 Ankit Jaglan (Left corner)
Making his PKL debut in 2023, Ankit Jaglan was 10th among the players with the most tackle points in the PKL 2023. He earned 66 tackle points with a success rate of 45% and played a key role in helping the franchise reach the playoffs.
As a result, Jaglan was retained by the Pirates under the Elite Retained Players (ERP) category. He will play as a left corner for the Pirates in the 2024 season.
#3 Gurdeep Sangwan (Left cover)
Gurdeep Sangwan made his PKL debut in 2019 for UP Yoddhas and played for the franchise until last season. After being retained by the Pirates for PKL 2023, Sangwan could only return with 30 points in 16 games. Hence, he was not retained by the franchise.
Patna Pirates secured the services of the skillful defender, as he looks to come up with an improved showing in the league. Overall, he has garnered 85 tackle points in 60 PKL games.
#4 Deepak Rathee (Right cover)
Deepak Rathee made his PKL debut with the Jaipur Pink Panthers in the 2021 season. However, after scoring only 18 points in two seasons, he was released by the Panthers.
Nevertheless, Rathee made a resounding comeback by registering 43 tackle points in 14 games for the Gujarat Giants in the 2023 season. In the PKL 2024 auction, the Pirates added him to their roster and he will play as a right cover defender for the franchise.
#5 Meetu Sharma (Raider)
The young raider Meetu Sharma was bought by the Patna Pirates in the 2024 auction after he had a decent showing in the previous season. Sharma scored 57 raid points in 61 games for the Dabang Delhi K.C. team.
Overall, Sharma has 267 raid points in 58 games with a 31% success rate. His finest performance came in the 2022 season for the Haryana Steelers, where he scored 135 raid points.
#6 Jang Kun Lee (Raider)
South Korean raider Jang Kun Lee returns to the league after four years. Interestingly, he was picked by his previous franchise, the Patna Pirates. In the 2019 season, he earned a total of 60 raid points, with a success rate of 34%.
Kun Lee has been a seasoned PKL player with 471 raid points in 106 appearances. He will certainly bring his experience and could help the team to lift the title for the fourth time.
#7 Sudhakar M (Raider)
Sudhakar M earned 103 raid points in 19 PKL games last year and helped the Pirates qualify for the playoffs. His success rate of 46% certainly forced the team management to retain his services.
The youngster came into the league with 300+ points in the Yuva Kabaddi series. With impressive form in recent years, he will be one of the players to watch out for in the 2024 season.
Probable 7 for Patna Pirates in PKL 2024
Shubham Shinde, Jang Kun Lee, Meetu Sharma, Gurdeep Sangwan, Deepak Rathee, Sudhakar M, Ankit Jaglan.
