Two-time Pro Kabaddi finalists Gujarat Giants didn't have the greatest of campaigns last year and finished in eighth spot in the standings on 59 points, four points adrift of Dabang Delhi K.C., the final team that made it to the playoffs.

They will be itching to set things right in Season 10 of PKL and have bought back some of their top performers from past seasons in Fazel Atrachali, Rohit Gulia and More G B, all of whom are familiar with the Giants’ setup having played for the team before.

Gujarat Giants also retained five players for their Season 10 campaign. The lists include Manuj and Sonu from the Elite Retained Players (ERP) category, Rakesh from the Retained Young Players (RYP) category as well as Parteek Dahiya and Rohan Singh from the Existing New Young Players category. They bought back Arkam Shaikh as well with the help of the Final Bid Match (FBM) card at the PKL Season 10 Player Auction.

Dynamic Duo in Attack

Parteek Dahiya and Rakesh were in fabulous form for Gujarat Giants in Pro Kabaddi Season 9 and outclassed opposition defenders regularly over the course of the campaign. Playing his first-ever PKL season, Parteek Dahiya was the Giants’ top scorer with 178 raid points which also made him the third highest raid points scorer in a debut season. He looked comfortable on the mat last year, registering four Super Raids as well as 11 Super 10s and will once again be a big threat to opposition defences in Season 10.

His raiding partner Rakesh was also in good form in Season 9. In fact, before suffering an injury, Rakesh was their main raider as he amassed 131 raid points, including three Super Raids and seven Super 10s. He and Parteek Dahiya complement each other well and are likely to create problems for defences in the upcoming campaign. Furthermore, More G B and Sonu, who have accumulated 157 and 113 raid points respectively during their PKL careers can also contribute in attack.

Power-packed Defence

In defence, Fazel Atrachali returns to the Giants’ setup after being a part of the team’s run to the final in their debut PKL season. Fazel Atrachali is the most successful defender in Pro Kabaddi history with 424 tackle points and he will be a leader in defence for the Giants once again. 

Fazel’s countryman, Mohammad Nabibakhsh is another player who will have a big say on the team’s fortunes in the landmark 10th PKL season. Nabibakhsh has 266 points in Pro Kabaddi over the course of his career and has been one of the most successful all-rounders in the league in recent years. These two Iranian stars have plenty of experience and know how to approach matches in crunch situations.   

Besides Fazel Atrachali and Mohammad Nabibakhsh, Gujarat Giants also have defenders like Sombir who is a seasoned campaigner that has accumulated 142 tackle points in 72 Pro Kabaddi matches. 

Meanwhile, for the cover position, the Giants boast the tried and tested Arkam Shaikh and Sourav Gulia. Arkam Shaikh secured 37 tackle points in the previous season while Sourav Gulia scored 35 tackle points and both of them will be eager to produce some fine performances on the mat once again in Season 10. Ravi Kumar is another quality cover option for the Giants and he will look to add to his 214 tackle points in the season ahead.

Abundance of All-Rounders

Apart from Arkam Shaikh and Mohammad Nabibakhsh, Gujarat Giants also have five more all-rounders in the team. They have the likes of the experienced Rohit Gulia (458 points), Vikash Jaglan (84 points), Balaji D (26 points), Rohan Singh and Jitender Yadav.

With such a well balanced squad that covers all bases on paper, Gujarat Giants seem to be a settled unit for Pro Kabaddi Season 10. They will be aiming to find more consistency in the new season and with PKL-winning coach Ram Mehar Singh at the helm, you can rest assured that Gujarat Giants will be gunning to enjoy their best season yet as they target winning their maiden Pro Kabaddi trophy.

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Pro Kabaddi League Season 10, 2023 FeaturesEnglish