PKL 2021: 3 Indian youngsters who could have a big impact this season

The Pro Kabaddi League 2021 is all set with its eighth edition and is just 24 hours away from its first match after a gap of two long years. The PKL 2021 will be played behind closed doors in Bengaluru without any fans in the stadium.

The tournament has achieved tremendous success since its inception in 2014. PKL has now become a major sport event in India which provides players from all over the world to showcase their skills. It has also become a platform for new and exciting young players who will challenge some of the legends of the game. Over the seasons, we have witnessed several Indian youngsters rising up to the occasion for their respective teams and delivering match-winning performances. Pardeep Narwal, Pawan Sehrawat are among the players who started as young prospects but have now become all-time greats in the league.

On that note, let’s take a look at the Three Indian Youngsters who could have a big impact this season.

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Sumit – UP Yoddha

Sumit had an exceptional run in the Pro Kabaddi League season 7. The left corner defender turned out to be the star performer for UP Yoddha. The 22-year old delivered several outstanding performances in his debut season for the Uttar Pradesh-based franchise as he managed to collect 77 tackle points PKL 7.

Sumit finished at the second spot in the list of defenders with the most tackle points. He was five points short of his idol Fazel Atrachali who scored 82 points. Sumit’s extraordinary performances saw him being retained for INR 25 Lakhs by UP Yoddha for PKL 8. He will once again aim to replicate his performance and assist his side to lift their maiden PKL title.

Saurabh Nandal – Bengaluru Bulls

Another left corner defender who is expected to play a crucial role for his side in PKL 8 is Saurabh Nandal. Nandal made his PKL debut last season for Bengaluru Bulls owing to his great returns in the University Nationals. The 21-year-old defender was a vital cog for the Bulls in PKL 7 as he registered 57 tackle points in 23 games.

Nandal held the Bulls’ defense with his impressive tackling abilities and registered six super tackles and five high fives to help his side reach the knockout stage. The Bulls have retained him for INR 25 Lakhs in the NYP category in hopes that he will deliver once again for them.

Vinay Tewatia – Haryana Steelers

Haryana Steelers’ 21-year old raider Vinay Tewatia was a big revelation last season owing to his impressive raiding abilities. Vinay had a great outing in his debut PKL stint and turned out to be an emerging star for the Steelers.

The raider managed to collect 125 raid points in 23 matches with a successful raid percentage of 54.34 including six super raids and three super ten’s. Haryana’s management was impressed with Vinay’s abilities and thus retained him under the NYP category for INR 25 Lakhs. He is expected to shine once again and better his performance from the last season to help his side lay their hands on the PKL trophy.

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