Puneri Paltan are aiming for a rare landmark in Season 11 of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) by becoming just the second team in the history of the tournament to successfully defend their title.

One of the most consistent teams over the past few campaigns, Puneri Paltan secured 19 wins, including the playoffs in PKL 10, setting a new benchmark for the most wins by any team in a single Pro Kabaddi season.

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Having been part of the playoffs in six out of the 10 editions of PKL, Season 11 will see Puneri Paltan led by head coach BC Ramesh for a third successive campaign.

One of the most successful coaches in PKL history, BC Ramesh has won two PKL titles with Bengal Warriors in Season 7 and with Puneri Paltan in Season 10. He was also an assistant coach when Bengaluru Bulls won the title in Season 6.

Having retained most of their core squad prior to the PKL 11 player auction, Puneri Paltan weren’t the busiest at the auction table. Their most expensive buy was raider V Ajith Kumar, who was brought in for Rs 66 lakh. Apart from V Ajith Kumar, Puneri Paltan acquired eight other players at the Player Auction. Here, we take a closer look at their squad before their title defence begins in Season 11.

Puneri Paltan’s biggest strength heading into Season 11 is the retention of most of their title-winning squad from last season. In attack, they’ve held on to Pankaj Mohite, Mohit Goyat, and Akash Shinde, all of whom contributed raid points at crucial junctures when called upon last season.

This trio combined to accumulate 274 raid points, ensuring they shared attacking responsibilities last season. Similarly, most of their defensive stars from Season 10 such as Sanket Sawant, Abinesh Nadarajan, and Gaurav Khatri are also part of the team. Known for their formidable defence, the Paltan recorded the most tackle points (349), the best average tackle points (14.5), and conceded the fewest All-Outs (14) last season.

Additionally, the presence of skipper and last season’s MVP, Aslam Inamdar, further strengthens Puneri Paltan. An inspirational leader on the mat, all-rounder Aslam Inamdar managed 142 raid points and 26 tackle points last season, a tally that he will be eager to surpass in the upcoming campaign.

While Puneri Paltan did retain most of their core squad from their title-winning Season 10 campaign, the departure of star Iranian all-rounder Mohammadreza Chiyaneh ahead of PKL 11 cannot be overlooked.

A talismanic presence in the team last season, Mohammadreza Chiyaneh not only topped the tackle points chart (99) in PKL 10 but also delivered in pivotal moments, contributing 27 raid points as well. His mere presence in Puneri Paltan’s defence instilled fear in opposition raiders. While the reigning champions invested in new defenders at the Player Auction to cover for Chiyaneh’s departure, it remains to be seen whether any of their new tacklers can match or even come close to filling the massive void left by the Iranian.

After an underwhelming season from a personal point of view, V Ajith Kumar will be hoping to make the most of his fresh start with Puneri Paltan in Season 11. Last season, V Ajith Kumar amassed 80 raid points, his lowest in a single edition since his debut in PKL Season 7. He will be eager to return to his best with the Paltan in the upcoming campaign, adding to his 460 raid points.

Another player who will look to seize the opportunity in PKL 11 is Mohd. Amaan. A left corner defender, he is yet to make his PKL debut but is expected to have a significant impact in Season 11 after demonstrating his defensive dominance in the domestic kabaddi circuit of late. The left side of Puneri Paltan’s defence could be an area that opposition teams may look to exploit following Chiyaneh’s departure.

The reigning champions have acquired Vishal, Aman, and Mohit to offset Chiyaneh’s formidable presence. Vishal has accumulated 174 tackle points over the course of his career, while Aman has notched up 135. However, neither were particularly prolific last season in terms of tackle points scored, with Vishal managing just 12 and Aman picking up 22.

Replacing Chiyaneh with the aforementioned duo, along with Mohit, who has scored a respectable 91 tackle points in two seasons which could prove detrimental to Puneri Paltan if the new additions fail to step up and make their presence felt on the mat.