Puneri Paltan had their best ever Pro Kabaddi League season finish last season. The team played their first-ever PKL final, finishing runners up to Jaipur Pink Panthers.
Over the past couple seasons, the Puneri Paltan have been a formidable unit. The Pune franchise struck gold when they recruited Mohit Goyat and Aslam Inamdar in their youth academy setup, the Young Paltan. The duo were promoted to the first team squad, and have risen through the ranks to represent India colours.
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As the Puneri Paltan aim for their maiden PKL title, The Sporting News analyses their team for Season 10:
Puneri Paltan full squad for PKL Season 10
Raiders:
- Pankaj Mohite (Right Raider)
- Aditya Shinde (Left Raider)
- Mohit Goyat (Right Raider)
- Akash Shinde (Left Raider)
- Nitin Malik (Right Raider).
Defenders:
- Mohammadreza Shadlu (Left corner)
- Abinesh Nadarajan (Right Cover)
- Gaurav Khatri (Right Corner)
- Sanket Sawant (Left Cover)
- Badal Poria (Left Corner)
- Vaibhav Kamble (Left Cover)
- Dadaso Pujari (Right Corner)
- Hardeep (Right Cover)
- Tushar Adhavde (Right Cover)
- Wahid Rejamehar (Right Corner)
- Ishwar Pandit (Right Corner).
All Rounders:
- Aslam Inamdar (Left radiator)
- Ahmed Inamdar
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Who is the head coach of Puneri Paltan for season 10?
BC Ramesh has been retained as the head coach of the Puneri Paltan after leading the team to their best-ever finish in PKL history in season 9.
Ramesh is currently on his second stint with the Puneri Paltan. He led the Paltan from the sidelines in season 5 for the first time. After leaving Puneri Paltan ahead of season 6, he won the title with the Bengaluru Bulls as assistant coach.
Ramesh then led Bengal Warriors to their first-ever PKL title in Season 7.
MORE: Pro Kabaddi Auction 2023: Full list of auctioned players
Who are the Puneri Paltan players to watch out for in Season 10?
Mohammadreza Shadloui: The headline-maker at the season 10 auction was the Iranian, Mohammadreza Shadloui. He became the most expensive overseas player in PKL history as he was signed for Rs 2.31 crore. The Iranian showman had a stellar season last time, with the Patna Pirates. He collected 84 tackle points, with a 56% tackle success rate.
Mohit Goyat: Mohit Goyat has turned out to be a find for the Puneri Paltan. Having made his PKL debut in season 8, Goyat has been a renowned name over the past two seasons.
Since his debut, Goyat has been one of the best-performing assets for Pune. He has bagged 324 points in 38 games, with a staggering not-out rate of 81.35%. His technique, flair, and pace are his biggest strengths, and will be one to watch out for in Season 10.
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Aslam Inamdar: Aslam Inamdar has been the best player for Puneri Paltan over the past two seasons. Ever since his debut in Season 8, Inamdar has taken the league by storm. He has picked 339 points in 40 matches, contributing as a genuine all-rounder.
He is a handy defender, and is not scared to hold the ankle of the opposition raider. The young all-rounder will have added responsibility this season as he has been named the captain of the side.
What are the strengths of Puneri Paltan ahead of Season 10?
Firepower in raiding department: Puneri Paltan has a formidable raiding unit in season 10. Three of their raiders – Mohit Goyat, Akash Shinde, Aslam Inamdar – were part of the Indian team that won gold at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Paltan roped in the Iranian superstar Shadloui at the auction. Though the tall Irani is known better for his prowess at the left corner, he was the main raider for Iran at the Asian Games and may contribute in that department too for Pune.
Experienced Cover Defenders: The cover defenders Sanket Sawant and Avinesh Nadarajan are now PKL-toughened. They have played together for two seasons now, and will lead in the transition of the defense unit in the squad.
MORE: When is Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 starting? Schedule, Venues, and Teams
What are the weaknesses of Puneri Paltan ahead of Season 10?
Lack of experienced Right Corner: The Puneri Paltan let go of both their corners – Fazel (left corner) and Sombir (right corner) at the auction table. But the management could only replace Fazel.
The Paltan have failed to find an able replacement to Sombir, leaving pressure on the young, Gaurav Khatri, who made his PKL debut last season and was an understudy of Sombir.
Problem of Plenty: The Puneri Paltan raiding depth is beyond par. The task will be cut out between the likes of Mohit, Aslam, Akash, and Shadlou, who are expected to begin the season as first-choice starters.
But what about Pankaj Mohite, and the recently-acquired Ahmed Inamdar? Coach BC Ramesh will have to manage his resources well to make sure there isn’t any disharmony in the team.
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