PKL 12: Jaipur Pink Panthers Coach Narender Redhu Backs Nitin Dhankar, Uday Parte As Potential Breakout Stars

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PKL 12: With Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 12 approaching, newly-appointed Jaipur Pink Panthers head coach Narender Redhu has offered insight into the franchise's young and dynamic raiding unit, highlighting names that could potentially light up the tournament.

After losing star raider and former captain Arjun Deshwal ahead of the new season, the two-time PKL champions have revamped their attack, bringing in new talent and putting faith in emerging players. Among those, Uday Parte and new signing Nitin Kumar Dhankhar have stood out in pre-season preparations.

"Yes, Uday Parte is definitely someone we are backing to do well this season. Then there's Nitin Dhankar - we've promoted him from being a second raider to our first raider, and he has really impressed in the training camp. I'm confident he will deliver as our lead raider in the league as well," Redhu told MyKhel during a Media Day facilitated by JioStar.

Redhu, who took charge of the Panthers after leading Patna Pirates to a runners-up finish last season, also revealed that the franchise's focus has been on nurturing promising talent while maintaining a balanced raiding combination. "We also have a promising NYP, Sagar, whom we scouted from the junior nationals. He's settling in nicely and has built a good understanding with Nitin - they'll form a good pair," he added.

In addition to homegrown talent, Jaipur has bolstered its squad with international experience, signing Iranian raider Ali Samadi. "Additionally, we've brought in Ali Samadi from Iran, and he's been performing well too. This season, you'll see quite a few fresh faces and interesting left-right and right-right combinations in our raiding department. We have 3-4 quality raiders, and as is the case every season, it might take them a few games to find their rhythm together, but once they do, I believe they'll do well," said Redhu.

With Redhu at the helm and the Panthers' focus on building a strong raiding unit, all eyes will be on Nitin Dhankhar's transition to lead raider and Uday Parte's potential breakthrough. If they, Jaipur Pink Panthers could once again be serious contenders for the PKL crown for the 3rd time.

Jaipur Pink Panthers Full Squad: Reza Mirbagheri, Abhishek KS, Ronak Singh, Nitin Kumar, Sombir, Ritik Sharma, Nitin Kumar Dhankhar, Manjeet Dahiya, Nitin Rawal, Ali Samadi Choubtarash, Aashish Kumar, Meetu, Vinay, Mohit, Uday Parte, Sagar.