Haryana Steelers were in the top 3 of the Pro Kabaddi 2022 points table before their last two games. A win in either of the two matches could have taken the Steelers to the playoffs. However, they got bulldozed by Bengaluru Bulls and then lost to Patna Pirates to miss out on a place in the PKL 2022 playoffs.
The Rakesh Kumar-coached franchise eventually finished seventh with 64 points. They played 22 games, recording ten wins, nine defeats and three ties. Even if one of the three tied matches had ended in Haryana Steelers' favour, they would have qualified for the playoffs with 67 points.
Now that the Steelers have been knocked out of the competition, the Pro Kabaddi team management will think about the ninth PKL season. They may retain the following three names and build their squad around them in PKL 9:
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#1 Vikash Khandola
Haryana Steelers captain Vikash Khandola produced some of his best performances in Pro Kabaddi 2022, but could not inspire his team to a top-6 finish. He played all 22 games for the Steelers, earning 180 points. He was the number one raider of his team.
Khandola recorded eight Super 10s, and executed four super raids during the PKL 2022 season. His average was 7.91 raid points per match, and he also chipped in with six tackle points in defence.
The team management would be happy with Khandola's overall performance. As the raider has been with the team for a long time, the Steelers could offer him another contract ahead of the new season.
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#2 Surender Nada
Veteran defender Surender Nada returned to the Pro Kabaddi League in style with 48 points in 21 games. He may not have been the top defender in the league this time around. However, his ankle holds were impressive, so the team management could retain him because of his experience.
Nada brings a lot of experience in defence. He can support Vikash Khandola in the leadership group. The left corner defender can also win matches single-handedly on his day.
In PKL 8, Nada recorded two high 5s, and executed four super tackles. The Haryana Steelers could retain him for Pro Kabaddi season nine, and expect fewer advanced tackles from him.
#3 Jaideep
Jaideep was the find of the season for Haryana Steelers. In his debut campaign for the Steelers, Jaideep finished in the top 3 in the tackle points list. The debutant floored some of the biggest raiders in the tournament with his tackling.
He scored 66 tackle points in 22 games for the Steelers, playing a key role in the team's success. The combination of Jaideep and Mohit was excellent at the cover positions.
The Steelers management could be tempted to retain Mohit as well because of his partnership with Jaideep. It will be interesting to see if Haryana retain both Mohit and Jaideep for the next season of the Pro Kabaddi League.
