Kolkata

The Bengal Warriorz, champions of Season 7 of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), are determined to reclaim their title after a disappointing performance last season where they missed the playoffs, finishing seventh in the standings.

For Season 11, the Warriorz have made notable changes. They parted ways with head coach K Baskaran, who had been with the team for the past two seasons, and have brought in former assistant coach Prashant Surve as the new head coach. Additionally, Praveen Yadav, a former kabaddi player, has joined as the assistant coach.

During the Season 11 Player Auction held in Mumbai on August 15 and 16, Bengal Warriorz made strategic moves to strengthen their squad. They retained their captain, Maninder Singh, by using their Final Bid Match (FBM) card to secure him for Rs 1.15 crores. Maninder, who is second on the all-time raid points leaderboard with 1,428 points, will lead a potent raiding lineup that includes Nitin Kumar, Vishwas S, Pranay Rane, and new recruit Arjun Rathi, the most expensive Category D player at Rs 41 lakhs.

Defensively, the Warriorz have bolstered their team by signing Fazel Atrachali, the top-scoring defender in PKL history with 486 tackle points, for Rs 50 lakhs. He will be supported by Nitesh Kumar, who ranks sixth in tackle points with 350, as well as Mayur Kadam and Vaibhav Garje. With a balanced and experienced squad, the Bengal Warriorz are well-positioned to make a strong comeback this season.