PKL 2024: Patna Pirates’ young guns challenge established order

PKL 2024: Patna Pirates’ young guns challenge established order

Patna Pirates, the three-time Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) champion, has shaken its past few seasons of misfortune as it comfortably moved into the playoffs of Season 11.

In the 22 league matches in season 11, the Pirates have accumulated 525 raid points, the best in the league, from 404 successful raids at an average of 23.86 points per match. They are also leading in all the raiding team matrixes and have inflicted 25 all-outs.

The team’s success is primarily attributed to its raiding unit, which has taken the league by storm. With largely unknown raiders, Patna has taken PKL 11 by storm. The auction saw Patna’s skipper and talisman Sachin moving to Tamil Thalaivas, while it did little to make up for the loss of the big names, the team management had other plans.

“We have a very balanced squad. We don’t have big names but it is a chance for these boys to make a name for themselves. All the big players were newcomers at one point. You need a platform to showcase your potential and we believe this unit can go a long way,” coach Narender Redhu told Sportstar.

Known for nurturing raiding stars like Pardeep Narwal, Monu Goyat and Sachin Tanwar, the Pirates aim to re-establish themselves as a dominant force in the league.

The leading lights of the Pirates’ offensive might this season have been the young raiding duo of Devank Dalal, in his third PKL season, and Ayan Lohchab, in his maiden campaign.

In the league stages, they have scored 280 and 165 raid points, respectively, in 22 matches. The two youngsters have accounted for almost 85 per cent of their team’s total raid points.

The team also has two more extremely talented raiders in Sandeep Dukhan Kumar and Sudhakar Maruthamuthu, with the latter being a retained player.

In a league dominated by star-studded teams, they proved that having proven talent isn’t the only path to success.

However, one glaring shortcoming in their attacking arsenal is the undecided raider for do-or-die raids (the third raid after two unsuccessful raids where the raider must pick up a point or is deemed out). Both Ayan and Devank have donned the hat but haven’t been consistent. Neither of them has made that role their own. But the most shocking part is how the leadership unit still hasn’t figured out a solution.

Following Sachin’s departure, the Pirates scrambled to find a new leader and appointed Shubham Shinde, their most expensive auction purchase at Rs. 70 lakh.

However, the team struggled with both defensive stability and game management. After the Hyderabad leg, the captaincy was transferred to Ankit, the team’s defensive all-rounder. This mid-season change, which proved successful last season, brought greater organisation to the Pirates, particularly in defence. Freed from the captaincy, Shubham flourished at right-corner.

The move also unlocked Ankit’s full potential, establishing him as one of the league’s top defenders with 70 tackle points, including eight Super Tackles (tackles made with three or fewer defenders on the mat). During the league phase, the Pirates’ defensive unit amassed 243 raid points in 22 matches, ranking fourth in the league.

Redhu, who has been at the helm of the Army Kabaddi team for almost a decade, saw promise in Ankit and retained him despite underwhelming numbers last season.

“Ankit showcased his talent in the Army tournaments. He is a natural leader and can bring the best out of them. He treats them (the youngsters) as brothers and also respects the experienced players. His and Shubham’s bond elevated our defence,” added Pirates’ coach.

The Pirates, despite a strong performance in the league, fell short of securing a top two finish. This unfortunate outcome means it will have to navigate the challenging eliminator round against a formidable U Mumba side.

Sunil Kumar’s Mumba presents a significant hurdle for Redhu’s team, having outscored them in both league encounters this season. Mumba’s potent blend of robust defence and dynamic raiding poses a unique challenge for the Pirates.

The Pirates, though, will be ready for the challenge. It has proved that a team built on young talent and a strong team ethos can challenge the established order.