PKL Season 12: With a new coach at the helm, Gujarat Giants eyes maiden title
Ahead of the new season, the two-time PKL finalist appointed Jaivir Sharma as its new head coach. The Giants have also named Varinder Singh Sandhu as assistant coach for Season 12
Gujarat Giants in Pro Kabaddi League (PKL)
MUMBAI: After a disappointing campaign last time around, Gujarat Giants will look to make a fresh start to end its long wait for the elusive Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) trophy in Season 12.
Ahead of the new season, the two-time PKL finalist appointed Jaivir Sharma as its new head coach. The Giants have also named Varinder Singh Sandhu as assistant coach for Season 12.
With over 30 years of experience, Jaivir Sharma is regarded as one of the most respected figures in the Indian kabaddi circuit. Under his guidance, the Indian team won gold medals at major events, including the Asian Games, the Kabaddi World Cup and the Kabaddi Championships.
Having spent INR 4.967 crore, the Giants has assembled a strong squad filled with top talents to challenge for the PKL Season 12 title.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Giants before the action begins in Season 12.
Strengths
One of Gujarat Giants’ undeniable strengths heading into PKL Season 12 will be the inclusion of the Iranian all-rounder Mohammadreza Shadloui in its squad. The Giants broke the bank to acquire the services of last season’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for a whopping INR 2.23 crore at the Season 12 Player Auction. With 82 tackle points and 57 raid points, Shadloui played a pivotal role in guiding Haryana Steelers to its maiden PKL triumph last season. Having established himself as one of the top overseas players, Shadloui earlier registered 99 tackle points and 27 raid points to help his former side Puneri Paltan to PKL Season 10 glory.
Weaknesses
It will be interesting to see how the Giants’ defence rises to the challenge in Pro Kabaddi Season 12. Mohammadreza Shadloui is the only established defender in the Giants’ squad and he will be entrusted to lead the defence from the front in the upcoming campaign.
Apart from Shadloui, the likes of Shubham Kumar, Rohit Kumar, Nitin Panwar, Milad Jabbari, Lucky Sharma, Amit and Sumit will need to step up and support Shadloui if they are to clinch their maiden PKL title in Season 12.
Opportunities
Despite a below par campaign with 66 raid points in 15 matches last season, the Giants showcased their faith by retaining their star raider Parteek Dahiya. The upcoming season will serve as a perfect opportunity for Parteek to regain his mojo and guide the Giants to PKL glory. Just like Parteek, seasoned raider Rakesh Sungroya will have the chance to raise his game and contribute more consistently in attack in the season ahead.
Threats
Ahead of the new season, the Giants have made strategic changes, including appointing a new coaching staff. It will be fascinating to see how these Giants perform under a new coaching setup.
Additionally, the Giants have undergone a complete squad overhaul with the inclusion of 13 new players at the recently concluded auction. As a result, it may take some time for the new-look squad to gel as a team and produce results.
