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Kabaddi

Flop 7 of Vivo Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 9

A glance at players who were expected to perform, but struggled for form and fitness during the Pro Kabaddi League season 9 league stage.

Flop 7 of Vivo Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 9
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Guman Singh was picked up by U Mumba for a hefty amount but couldn't justify his price tag.

By

Gayathri Venkatraman

Published: 16 Dec 2022 1:51 PM GMT

Over the course of history, there have been various instances where athletes and sportspersons have choked under pressure. It gets to the best of the best, too. Similarly, some Pro Kabaddi League players did not live up to the expectations that were placed on them this season. Here is our list for PKL Season 9:

#1 Ajith Kumar

After notable performances for the Tamil Thalaivas and U-Mumba in the previous two seasons, V. Ajith Kumar was signed for a 66 lakh bid into the Jaipur Pink Panthers. He has managed to secure only 84 points from 19 matches, which, in contrast to the 159 points from 20 matches in 2021 and the 121 points from 19 matches in 2019, are a letdown. The raider finished 14th and 16th in the previous two seasons, but has yet to break into the top 25 this year.
Ajith Kumar in action

#2 Abhishek Singh

Abhishek was signed by the Telugu Titans after scoring 150 points in the previous two PKL seasons. This raider was also purchased for Rs. 66 lakh. His continued poor form, his low successful raid rate (24%), and his low tackle success rate (30%) are causes for concern. Furthermore, at the end of the league stage, he only has one super raid to his name.

Abhishek Singh in action

#3 Guman Singh

Raider Guman Singh was purchased by U Mumba for a whopping Rs. 1.25 crore. With his successful raid rate at 38%, 5 super raids, and 7 super 10s, he has managed to score only 137 raid points this season from 18 matches, despite having a high not-out percentage of 76.34. He has not scored any points on the defence side too.

U-Mumba's Guman Singh

#4 Neeraj Kumar
Patna Pirates retained defender, Neeraj Kumar. Much to their surprise, the defender has only managed to put up 30 points on the board from 21 matches. He has just one high 5, and two super tackles to his name and a low tackle success rate of 30% this season.
Neeraj Kumar with Pradeep Narwal
#5 Nitesh Kumar
Yet another retained player, Nitesh Kumar of the U.P. Yoddhas, has had his lowest-scoring season so far. Having played since Season 5, it was expected of him to lead the team to a better position. He has earned only 34 points in 22 matches, with just two super tackles to his name. His lowest season-wise tackle success rate of 36% also causes worry.
Nitesh Kumar
#6 Surjeet Singh

The defender Surjeet Singh was acquired by Telugu Titans for a handsome price of Rs. 50 lakh. His tackle success rate stands at 29%, with two super tackles in his bag. He has only managed to secure 19 points this season from 13 matches, with 17 of them coming from tackles. A good not-out rate of 90.91% does not compensate for the poor form and performance of yet another veteran who has been a member of the league since Season 3.

Surjeet Singh

#7 Sandeep Dhull

Dabang Delhi K.C. had signed Sandeep Kumar Dhull for Rs. 40 lakh. The defender who usually managed a tackle success rate of about 50 or above has only managed to make it to 38% this season. 3 super tackles, 1 high-five, and a 34% tackle success rate are not the ideal figures one expects. Overall, he has secured just 31 points for the team from 17 matches.

Sandeep Dhull in action

With only the finals left to be played between Jaipur Pink Panthers and Puneri Paltan, let's hope these players find a better season going forward.

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