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Patna Pirates are the most successful franchise in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) history. In the upcoming season, they will be keen to regain their lost glory from the early seasons. In PKL 10, the Pirates made it to the semi-finals before crashing out.
The three-time champions will be looking to add a fourth title to their trophy cabinet. Patna Pirates completed a hat-trick of title wins in Seasons 3, 4, and 5. They have consistently been among the top contenders in the league.
Under the guidance of head coach Narender Redhu, who led the Pirates to the semi-finals in PKL 10, the team will be aiming for another strong performance this season. The Pirates were among the busy teams at the Season 11 player auction, looking to bolster their squad with some key signings.
As the new season approaches, the Pirates look all geared up to challenge for their fourth title. Here is the SWOT analysis of Patna Pirates ahead of Season 11.
Pro Kabaddi 2024: Patna Pirates' SWOT Analysis
Strengths
Patna Pirates seem to possess depth across both their attacking and defensive units. They were active during the player auction and made several key purchases to strengthen their line-up. Some of their key buys include defender Shubham Shinde at INR 70 lakh, and all-rounder Gurdeep at INR 59 lakh.
They have a potentially impressive raiding unit with the presence of Sudhakar M, who was impressive in his debut season with 103 raid points. Sandeep Kumar is another name who showed promise last season with 86 raid points. With Meetu Sharma and the return of experienced Jang Kun Lee, they seem to have a strong raiding unit.
While Shubham Shinde is likely to lead their defense, the likes of Deepak Singh, along with all-rounders Gurdeep and Ankit are also expected to make vital contributions.
Weaknesses
While Patna Pirates do have depth in their squad, one of their weaknesses is the lack of like-for-like replacements for their key players from last season. The exit of Sachin Tanwar and their former skipper Neeraj Kumar has left a significant void in their raiding and defensive units. They have tried to fill in the gaps but the absence of Sachin, who was consistent for them, could hurt the team.
Further, they let go of Krishan, their best-performing defender from last season with 78 tackle points. Their reliance on less experienced players in both departments could pose challenges.
Opportunities
The 11th season will offer young and emerging players an opportunity to show their talent and make their mark. With the likes of Sachin and Krishan no longer in the team, the focus will be on players like Sudhakar, Sandeep and Shubham Shinde.
Sudhakar, who impressed in his debut season, will be expected to shoulder more responsibility. Shubham Shinde will have to step up and lead the defense in the absence of Neeraj Kumar and Krishan. It will be interesting to see if they can rise to the occasion and make the most of the opportunity.
Threats
The lack of a genuine all-rounder is a potential threat for the Patna Pirates. While Gurdeep and Ankit are key all-rounders in their squad, the duo has not made much impact as far as raiding is concerned in their careers so far. Therefore, there will be added pressure on the raiders to perform consistently throughout the season.
The side does have depth in their raiding unit, but there isn't adequate presence of experienced raiders. They will have to rely on Meetu Sharma and Jang Kun Lee. Lee has been away from the league and is making a return after a long gap.
