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Pro Kabaddi 2022 is just one day away. The reverse countdown to the first Triple Panga of the season has started. Defending champions Dabang Delhi KC will lock horns with Season 2 winners U Mumba in the opening contest of PKL 9 on Friday.
All 12 teams have assembled strong squads for the upcoming Pro Kabaddi League season. They retained a few players and then completed their remaining lineups by signing the players available at the auction.
Before the ninth edition of the Pro Kabaddi League gets underway, here's a ranking of 12 teams based on their squad's strength.
#12 U Mumba
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Many fans feel that former champions U Mumba have the weakest squad on paper in Pro Kabaddi 2022. Surinder Singh will captain the franchise this year.
The team lacks experience in both raiding and defense as their most experienced players are Surinder and Guman Singh. If the youngsters deliver the goods, U Mumba can finish higher on the points table, but the fans should keep their expectations low.
#11 Haryana Steelers
Haryana Steelers have a decent squad on paper. However, they lack a big name in both departments who can change the match in a matter of a few moments.
Seasoned pro Joginder Narwal will shoulder the defense along with cover specialists Mohit Nandal and Jaideep Dahiya. They will rely on the performances of Vinay, K Prapanjan and Manjeet Dahiya in the raiding unit.
#10 Gujarat Giants
Gujarat Giants have put together a strong defensive group for PKL 2022 with star players like Rinku Narwal, Baldev Singh and Sandeep Kandola present in the squad. However, the team will miss its cover defenders Sunil Kumar and Parvesh Bhainswal.
Furthermore, the raid attack does not look the strongest with Chandran Ranjit and Rakesh HS having the responsibility to score a majority of the points for the team.
#9 Tamil Thalaivas
Tamil Thalaivas went all out to sign Pawan Sehrawat at the auction. They also retained last season's best Indian defender, Sagar Rathee.
However, the performances of the other players will matter a lot as well. The support that Pawan and Sagar receive will determine Tamil Thalaivas' final position in the league.
#8 Jaipur Pink Panthers
On paper, the Jaipur Pink Panthers have one of the most skilled raid attacks in Pro Kabaddi 2022. The inaugural champions have Rahul Chaudhari, Arjun Deshwal and V Ajith Kumar - three raiders who can single-handedly win matches.
The defense does not look equally strong but the likes of Sunil Kumar and Sahul Kumar can support the raiders well.
#7 Bengal Warriors
Former champions Bengal Warriors have an excellent raiding attack as well. However, the defense does not inspire much confidence.
The fitness levels of senior players will play a vital role in Bengal's PKL season. Maninder Singh and Deepak Hooda will be the two main players for the team.
#6 Bengaluru Bulls
Bengaluru Bulls did a fantastic job by retaining their defensive core from last season. Mahender Singh, Mayur Kadam, Aman Antil and Saurabh Nandal have played many matches together.
It will be interesting to see if Vikash Khandola can replace Pawan Sehrawat to perfection in the team. Khandola's performance will determine Bengaluru's fate in the Pro Kabaddi 2022.
#5 Dabang Delhi KC
Defending champions Dabang Delhi KC unsurprisingly retained their young raiding duo of Naveen Kumar and Vijay Malik. However, their defense looks a little inexperienced compared to the previous season.
Also, it will be interesting to see if the captaincy impacts Naveen's game in Pro Kabaddi 2022. The youngster has never captained any team the PKL in the past.
#4 Patna Pirates
Last season's runners-up Patna Pirates have retained their defensive core just like Bengaluru Bulls. They also used the FBM card to re-sign their star raider Sachin Tanwar.
All-rounders Rohit Gulia and Monu Sandhu give some much-needed depth to both the departments. Overall, Patna have a proficient squad for Pro Kabaddi 2022.
#3 Puneri Paltan
Puneri Paltan are one of the top contenders to win the PKL this year. They retained the likes of Aslam Inamdar, Mohit Goyat, Abinesh Nadarajan and Sombir, who were quite impressive last season.
To strengthen the team, Pune went all out for Iranian players Fazel Atrachali and Mohammad Nabibakhsh at the auction. As a result, they have one of the most balanced squads in Pro Kabaddi 2022.
#2 UP Yoddhas
In Pardeep Narwal, Nitin Tomar, Surender Gill, Nitesh Kumar and Sumit Sangwan, UP Yoddhas have five gun players who can change the course of the game in a matter of a few minutes.
The cover defenders could prove to be the weak point of this team, but if Shubham Kumar, Ashu Singh and Gurdeep play their roles well, UP Yoddhas will be unstoppable in Pro Kabaddi 2022.
#1 Strongest team of Pro Kabaddi 2022 - Telugu Titans
A majority of the fans would agree that the Telugu Titans have formed one of the strongest squads in the entire Pro Kabaddi League history. They have a perfect starting seven featuring Abhishek Singh, Siddharth Desai, Surjeet Singh, Parvesh Bhainswal, Vishal Bhardwaj, Ravinder Pahal and Monu Goyat.
They have so many top-quality options that last season's top performers Rajnish Dalal, Ankit Beniwal, Adarsh T and Muhammad Shihas might have to warm the benches. The Telugu Titans will start as the favorites to win Pro Kabaddi 2022.
Who is more likely to win PKL 2022? Share your views in the comments box.
