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Defending champions Puneri Paltan have announced their list of retained players ahead of the Pro Kabaddi 2024 Auction. Unsurprisingly, the Pune-based franchise have retained the likes of Aslam Inamdar, Mohit Goyat, Abinesh Nadarajan, Gaurav Khatri, Pankaj Mohite, Sanket Sawant, Akash Shinde, and Aditya Shinde from their previous season's squad.
However, the Paltan team management surprised the fans by releasing their Iranian all-rounder Mohammadreza Shadloui ahead of the Pro Kabaddi 2024 Auction. Paltan spent ₹2.35 crore to acquire Shadloui's services last year, and he justified the price tag by winning the Best Defender of the Season award.
After announcing the retained players list, Puneri Paltan issued a statement on Shadloui's release and mentioned that they could not retain him because of his hefty price tag. It is pertinent to note that Paltan have only ₹2.12 crore left in their auction purse right now.
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The defending champions have a solid squad, but here's a list of three players whom the owners should target at the Pro Kabaddi 2024 auction.
#1 Puneri Paltan should try their best to sign Mohammadreza Shadloui
Puneri Paltan won their first championship last season owing to a brilliant team performance. Mohammadreza Shadloui shouldered the defense to perfection by tackling the world's best raiders regularly while standing at the left corner position.
Apart from his defense, Shadloui also made a difference with his raids. At times, he would surprise the opposition defense with his pursuits and stun them by scoring multiple points.
An all-rounder like Shadloui is a rare commodity in the kabaddi world. Perhaps, Puneri Paltan should think of spending 85-90% of their purse value to re-sign the Iranian star at this year's auction.
#2 Fazel Atrachali
Mohammadreza Shadloui was sold for ₹2.35 crore at the previous auction. Considering how well he performed last season, his price is expected to go even higher at the Pro Kabaddi 2024 Auction. Puneri Paltan only have ₹2.12 crore in their purse.
Thus, there is a high possibility of Pune not being able to re-sign Shadloui even if they spend 100% of the auction purse. Pune should try their best to sign him, but in case they fail to do so, their next target should be Fazel Atrachali.
Gujarat Giants surprisingly released their captain Fazel ahead of the Pro Kabaddi 2024 Auction. Fazel is the most successful defender in PKL history and can play in the left corner position for Puneri Paltan.
#3 Mohit Kaler
Paltan do not have a single specialist left corner defender in their squad ahead of the Pro Kabaddi 2024 Auction. While they should go all out for Mohammadreza Shadloui and Fazel Atrachali, the team management should also consider having a proper backup option.
Mohit Kaler can be a brilliant addition to the team. The left corner defender played for Haryana Steelers in PKL 10 and finished 20th on the Most Tackle Points list with 46 tackle points in 22 matches. Notably, Kaler has played for U Mumba in the past as well. It will be interesting to see if another Maharashtra-based franchise offers him a PKL deal now.
