Pro Kabaddi League 2017 Season 5: 5 names from Gujarat Fortunegiants to watch out for

It's tough to find the mention of Adani Group in the politics section of newspapers without the mention of someone even more popular from Gujarat. However, in this year's Pro Kabaddi, the group has given itself a reason to be associated with Gujarat and, for once, they are entirely non-political ones, much to the joy of the followers of Kabaddi in the state.

The Adani Wilmar group owned Gujarat Fortunegiants, unlike the other three debutants, made their best pre-tournament move outside the auctions when they picked Manpreet Singh as the coach. In a first in the history of Pro Kabaddi League, a team will enjoy the services of a former league winning captain as a coach.

Manpreet Singh, who plied his trade for the Patna Pirates in the first three seasons and successfully led the team to the trophy for the first time in Season 3, remains the key man even in the Gujarat setup as well.

He is supremely confident of the team's chances and while pre-tournament confidence is often the refuge of every team owner and coach, one would take Manpreet Singh's confidence as hollow at his/her own peril.

Having said that, the team sheet doesn't inspire a great amount of confidence and looks to be made up of few experienced names and lots of little-known quantities, a case with most of the new franchises in the fifth edition of the league. Here are the big names from the Fortunegiants squad who can leave a big mark on the league

#1 Sukesh Hegde

Coach Manpreet claimed that Hegde didn't get his due while playing for Telugu Titans

In a recent interview with Sportskeeda, coach Manpreet Singh minced no words in explaining how Sukesh Hegde got a raw deal playing alongside the maverick Rahul Chaudhari when they both handled the raiding responsibilities for Telugu Titans. While on the surface, the claim might seem bordering on exaggeration, anyone who followed the fourth season with a keen eye would know that it's not too off the mark.

For the new franchise, Hegde, on account of being the senior most player will be wearing the captain's armband too. And, more importantly, unlike last season, Hegde won't have to deal with the overbearing figure of Rahul Chaudhari lurking around him.

The raiding department of Gujarat looks heavily reliant on Hegde's broad shoulders. If the captain is half as good as the coach believes him to be, Gujarat will not really mind the absence of a Rahul Chaudhari-like player in their ranks.

#2 Fazel Atrachali

He has proved himself to be a raider's nightmare in the first four editions

Long before they challenged India in the finals of the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup, Iran had already established itself as a storehouse of unquestionable Kabaddi talent. In fact, some of them managed to become household names.

Much of the credit for the same goes to a name who has easily emerged as the most bankable foreign recruit in the league's history, probably in close competition with Jang Kun Lee.

That's why it wasn't surprising to see him getting picked as a priority player in the auction by the Gujarat franchise. The big man from Iran is impossible to rattle with mind games and possesses an unflappable concentration which makes him such a formidable challenge in the defence for any raider.

What makes Atrachali doubly dangerous this time around, however, is the inclusion of Abozar Mohajermighani in the squad.

#3 Abozar Mohajermighani

The most expensive foreign recruit will have a huge responsibility in the league

After a brilliant World Cup, the man with a name that's going to give a lot of commentators a hard time made it big in the auctions when he ended up as the most expensive foreign acquisition. He will give teeth to the Gujarat defence along with Atrachali. An Iran heavy defence might make the defence a fortress for the Fortunegiants, at least that's what the owners and coach would hope for.

However, considering that it's the first exposure of Mohajermighani on the Pro Kabaddi stage, it will be interesting to see how quickly he can bring his A-game to the fore, as traditionally the communication problem has hindered the development of many foreigners in the league.

#4 Mahipal Narwal

Playing for Jaipur Pink Panthers, Narwal showed a lot of improvement last season

If one tries to draw up a list of most improved players in the league, Mahipal Narwal will be a certainty in that list. Narwal might not be high on style but his effectiveness was for everyone to see in the last season where he put up a wonderful show for the Jaipur Pink Panthers. And the fact that he managed to do so even in the presence of Rajesh Narwal, who is easily one of the best all rounders of the league, tells a lot about his abilities.

In a new setup like Gujarat, Narwal will be the important cog and a lot will depend on his form, for with Sukesh Hegde in the offence and Atrachali in the defence, Gujarat have more or less secured their raiding and defence departments. In such a scenario, a consistent Narwal can prove to be an asset for the team.

#5 Sachin Tanwar

A highly rated junior level Kabaddi player, Sachin can prove to be the X factor the Gujarat franchise needs

As a young raider who has been singled out by the coach to watch out for and got picked up at the auctions for a whopping Rs. 36 lakhs, Sachin Tanwar will be under some pressure when the league commences for the franchise.

However, the Junior National Championships bronze medalist has made a reputation for himself and even if the laurels have come at the junior level, good guidance from the coaching staff can polish the rookie into a shining gem.

With just Hegde as the big name in the raiding department, the team management would like the youngster to step up and take more responsibility and perform on a consistent basis.