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Season 6 champions Bengaluru Bulls begin their Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) 2024 campaign on Friday (October 18) against Telugu Titans in Hyderabad. The 2023 season saw them finish eighth in the table with eight wins in 22 games.
Ahead of the auction, they retained eight players - Saurabh Nandal, Ponparthiban Subramanian, Sushil Khatri, Rohit Kumar, Aditya Shankar Powar, Akshit, Parteek Gulia, Arulnanthababu.
On the auction day, the Bengaluru Bulls secured the services of seven players. Among the top signings were experienced raiders, Ajinkya Pawar and Pardeep Narwal.
The team has concentrated on areas of weakness from the previous season, aiming to improve their performance. It remains to be seen whether the franchise will secure their first PKL title in the 2024 season.
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On that note, let's take a look at probable Bulls playing 7 for PKL 2024.
#1 Pardeep Narwal (Raider)
The Bengaluru Bulls purchased legendary raider Pardeep Narwal in the PKL 2024 auction. 'Dubki King' has the most raid points (1690) in the tournament's history and will be a vital cog in the team's lineup.
Over the last three seasons, Narwal represented the UP Yoddhas and helped them qualify for the playoffs on all occasions. In the 2023 season, he earned 122 raid points with a success rate of 37%.
With a past record of three consecutive PKL titles for the Patna Pirates, Narwal will bring a winning attitude to the Bulls.
#2 Ajinkya Pawar (Raider)
With 454 raid points in 92 appearances, Ajinkya Pawar is one of the finest raiders in the PKL. Pawar represented Tamil Thalaivas in the subsequent three seasons and amassed over 100 raid points in each of them.
In fact, his performance helped the franchise qualify for the playoffs for the first time in 2022. Apart from his commendable raiding, Pawar registered three super tackles last season to show his defensive skills.
#3 Sushil Khatri (Raider)
Sushil Khatri will serve as a left raider for the Bengaluru Bulls in the 2024 season. He was retained by the franchise due to his impressive performances in the previous season. Khatri amassed 100 raid points with a 41% success rate and also registered three Super 10s in 17 games.
#4 Saurabh Nandal (Right corner)
Veteran defender Saurabh Nandal was one of the retained players by the Bulls. Since making his debut in the 2019 season, he has been an integral part of the franchise. Nandal has garnered a total of 246 tackle points with a 49% success rate.
In the 2023 season, Nandal recorded 49 tackle points with an impressive success rate of 50%. It will be interesting to see if he can deliver on the trust of the team management.
#5 Nitin Rawal (Left corner)
Talented all-rounder Nitin Rawal did not feature in the 2023 season due to a knee injury. However, he will look to make a resounding comeback in the 2024 season, after being bought by the Bengaluru Bulls.
Overall, Rawal has 236 points, with 142 raid and 94 tackle points. He holds a tackle success rate of 39%, which could help the team in crunch moments.
#6 Ponparthiban Subramanian (Right cover)
Ponparthiban Subramanian was retained by the Bengaluru Bulls for the 2024 season. Playing in the league since 2018, Subramanian has secured 40 tackle points with a 34% success rate.
In the last edition, he scored seven points while also registering a solitary High 5. It will be interesting to see if he can improve his defensive prowess in the upcoming season.
#7 Parteek Gulia (Left cover)
Parteek Gulia also earned retention from the Bulls ahead of the PKL 2024 auction. Gulia made his debut in the last season and scored 27 tackle points with an impressive 52% success rate.
Probable 7 for Bengaluru Bulls in PKL 2024
Pardeep Narwal, Ajinkya Pawar, Sushil Khatri, Saurabh Nandal, Nitin Rawal, Ponparthiban Subramanian, Parteek Gulia.
