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Last edition's runners-up, the Haryana Steelers made some big changes to their squad ahead of the Pro Kabaddi 2024 season. The Steelers let go of their star left-corner defender Mohit, who executed 46 successful tackles in 22 matches last season.
But they managed to sign a perfect replacement by roping in Mohammadreza Shadloui at the PKL 2024 Auction. Haryana's coach Manpreet Singh decided to go all out for the Iranian all-rounder and eventually secured his services for ₹2.07 crore.
Apart from left corner Mohit, another big name missing from Haryana Steelers' defense in season 11 is right-cover Mohit Nandal. Nandal was the team's best defender last season with 64 successful tackles.
Haryana's defense will not be the same without Mohit Nandal, but here are three reasons the Steelers can win their first championship in PKL 11.
#1 Haryana Steelers have a tried and tested raiding duo
The combination of raiders matters a lot for any team's success in the Pro Kabaddi League. One of the major reasons the Steelers made it to their first PKL final last year was the fantastic performance from Vinay and Shivam Patare.
Vinay earned 165 points in 23 matches, maintaining a decent raid strike rate of 44%. Rising star Shivam supported him to perfection with 120 points from 23 games.
The team management unsurprisingly retained both Vinay and Shivam before the new season. The raiding duo will be keen to continue in the same vein for the Steelers in PKL 11.
#2 'X-factor' Mohammadreza Shadloui
Mohammadreza Shadloui is probably the best all-rounder in the kabaddi world right now. He can take the left corner position in the defense and give sleepless nights to the opposition raiders.
At the same time, Shadloui can also make a difference with his raiding skills. Considering the massive amount the Steelers spent to sign Shadloui, the team management will have high hopes from him.
Shadloui played a major role in Puneri Paltan's maiden PKL triumph last season. This year, he will aim to do the same for the Haryana-based franchise.
#3 Coach Manpreet Singh knows how to bring the best out of his men
Manpreet Singh has been one of the most successful coaches in the Pro Kabaddi League. In seasons five and six, Gujarat Giants qualified for the final under his coaching, while in season 10, the Haryana Steelers made it to the summit clash.
Manpreet knows how to use available resources to perfection and bring the best out of his men. Last season, Haryana had one of the most settled playing sevens in the Pro Kabaddi League because of Manpreet's fantastic planning and execution.
Although this year, there are a couple of changes in the squad, it should not have a major impact on the team's performance. It will be interesting to see if coach Manpreet can help the Haryana Steelers end their PKL trophy drought in 2024.
