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Jaipur Pink Panthers finished sixth in the Pro Kabaddi 2024 standings. The two-time champions qualified for the Eliminator round but they suffered a massive 18-46 defeat at the hands of the UP Yoddhas, which ended their campaign before the semifinals.
The Pink Panthers were quite impressive during the league stage as they won 12 out of the 22 games while recording eight losses and two draws in the other 10 matches. Jaipur will have to make some changes to their squad to ensure they become PKL champions for the third time next season.
We look at five players Jaipur Pink Panthers might retain before the 12th edition of the Pro Kabaddi League.
#1 Jaipur Pink Panthers should retain captain Arjun Deshwal
Arjun Deshwal proved himself as the biggest match-winner for the Jaipur Pink Panthers once again in the Pro Kabaddi League. The star raider took charge of the franchise after Sunil Kumar moved to U Mumba.
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The pressure of captaincy did not have any impact on Arjun's individual performance. He finished third on the raiders' leaderboard with 227 raid points to his name. It will be a shocker if the Jaipur-based franchise does not retain Arjun ahead of the 12th PKL season.
#2 Reza Mirbagheri
Whenever fans talk about overseas defenders in PKL, the first two names that come to mind are Fazel Atrachali and Mohammadreza Shadloui. However, Iran's Reza Mirbagheri has also made a huge impact in the defense.
Playing for the Jaipur team, Reza scored 72 points in 23 matches this season. His tackle strike rate was 55%, which is why the Pink Panthers should retain him for the next season.
#3 Ankush Rathee
Left-corner defender Ankush Rathee had another fantastic season with the Jaipur Pink Panthers. The rising star earned 68 points in 23 matches, with his tackle strike rate being 60%.
Rathee recorded three High 5s and three super tackles while playing in the left corner position for the Pink Panthers. He should be retained by the Jaipur-based franchise at any cost.
#4 Neeraj Narwal
One of the most underrated raiders in PKL, Neeraj Narwal played the support raider's role to Arjun Deshwal this season. Neeraj had a decent season, scoring 87 points in 18 matches.
Since his raid strike rate was 38%, the Pink Panthers might consider releasing him. However, it would not be a bad move to give him one more season to prove himself.
#5 Abhijeet Malik
Rising star Abhijeet Malik had the best season of his PKL career in Pro Kabaddi 2024. The raider scored 50 points in 14 matches for the Pink Panthers. He was one of the few players to execute a super raid as well as a super tackle in the tournament.
Perhaps, Jaipur can retain him for the next season and train him during the off-season to ensure he returns as a proper all-rounder next season. If groomed well, Abhijeet can be a long-term asset for the Pink Panthers.
