Jaipur Pink Panthers had the most bizarre PKL7. In the first half of the tournament, they were the team to beat with a well-oiled defense and controlled raiding. What happened since then became hard to explain - they lost match after match in the second half of the tournament and failed to even qualify to the playoffs.
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The disappointment is palpable in the retainments with the soft-spoken Amit Hooda being the only senior player retained. That said, Amit Hooda at 28 Lakhs is a steal for a right-corner. With the League filled with brilliant right raiders, a right-corner will be one of the most coveted positions. They have also retained their covers Pavan TR and Vishal. In Vishal & Pavan they have a cover combination that was working well for them over the season. Jaipur's performance last season dipped every time Sandeep Dhull had a mood swing, so we don't expect the team will FBM him back. A veteran defender, who can double up as a captain, might improve their defensive performance. Will they go for a Joginder / Anna for the main left corner role?
They have also retained the all useful Railways player, Nitin Rawal. He is likely to find a place in the Starting 7. With the release of Deepak Niwas Hooda the team will hunt for a lead raider. This is one of those teams that can be pushing the price of a certain Pardeep Narwal over the 2 Cr mark! But to do this they need to trust their young guns in Sachin, Sushil Gulia and Nitin Rawal to handle the raiding responsibilities, and use the money to shore up their left corner puzzle. Jaipur Pink Panthers might look to get Deepak Narwal back through the FBM option.
All-in-all, Jaipur Pink Panthers will be looking for their crown jewel - the lead raider along with a solid left corner in the upcoming auctions.
READ MORE: Amit Hooda's team in K7s | Jaipur Pink Panthers
Purse left: 335 Lakhs for at least 12 players
Retained Players :
1. Right Corner, Amit Hooda (42 points, 28 Lakhs)
2. Raider, Nitin Rawal (34 points, 25 Lakhs)
3. Covers, Pavan TR (14 points, 8 Lakhs) and Vishal (44 points, 28 Lakhs)
4. NYPs, Sushil Gulia and Sachin Narwal
Likely FBM Candidates :
2. Deepak Niwas Hooda (151 points)
Dhanya
Love sports, especially street sports. What better than working and thinking about Kabaddi. Been a part of Kabaddi Adda since it was just a concept. In another avatar, I'm a neuroscientist.
