Pro Kabaddi League: Defending champions Dabang Delhi appoint Naveen Kumar Goyat as their captain

Naveen Kumar Goyat, one of the most decorated players in Indian kabaddi, has captured hearts with his brilliant raids, ability to turn a game, and strong desire to win. 

Dabang Delhi has made substantial additions to the squad before season nine of the competition. They also retained Naveen Kumar Goyat and Vijay Malik, who were the best performers in the previous edition. 

What has Naveen Kumar contributed to the team as captain?

Naveen Kumar Goyat, affectionately known as "Naveen Express," scored an exceptionally high number of super raids in the last few seasons. He clinched more than 200 raid points in just 17 matches.

Naveen is also one of the players with the highest number of Super 10s last season. His strong presence and influence over the game could further bolster the team. 

The team's chief coach shared his feelings about the new squad and their decision to accept Naveen Kumar as the new skipper. He said, "We are happy to enter PKL season nine as defending champions. This has motivated our players greatly and filled them with fumes to retain the championship this year."

Bengaluru Bulls star Vikash Kandola to start a new chapter in the ninth season

The Bengaluru Bulls are excited to launch Vikash Kandola, set to replace star raider Pawan Sehrawat in the ninth edition of the league. Bengaluru Bulls started a bidding war against the Tamil Thalaivas for the signing of Vikash Kandola for a whopping INR 1.70 crore.

Vikash has been one of the top five raiders in the PKL since the sixth season. He has been scoring higher than 170 raid points in every edition ever since. Bengaluru Bulls Coach Randhir Singh, Vikash Kandola himself, and other teammates spoke about Kandola's inclusion in the squad. 

Coach Randhir Singh said, "I thought I should get Vikash into the team because it was his dream to play under me." His budget was limited to INR 1.10 or 1.20 crore for Vikash, but their need for an A-grade player prompted him to make the decision. 

Kandola responded, "I will try and support the team any way I can see so that it's beneficial for the team. And as a senior raider, my job is to try and make the other raiders understand what needs to be done in different match situations."

He averaged 7.69 raid points per match for the Haryana Steelers and guided Haryana to the playoffs over three seasons with brilliant performances throughout his tenure with the franchise. 

Vikash was present on most occasions on the mat with 68.55 per cent of mat time, which alleviated the pressure. Now that Pawan Sehrawat is out, Kandola has to take over and help the Bengaluru Bulls in their bid to win the ninth season!