Why Nitin Dhankhar Was Out of Jaipur Pink Panthers’ Starting 7?

Jaipur Pink Panthers’ raider Nitin Dhankhar is not in the starting 7 against Patna Pirates in Eliminator 1 due to a minor injury sustained in the previous match versus Haryana Steelers. Despite scoring seven raid points from 23 raids in that game, he struggled at times. Dhankhar is listed as a substitute and has 155 points from 15 matches this season.

During the Eliminator 1 clash of Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium in Delhi, Jaipur Pink Panthers faced Patna Pirates without their star raider Nitin Dhankhar in the starting 7 due to fitness concerns. Dhankhar had suffered a minor injury in the previous play-in match against Haryana Steelers, where he scored seven raid points from 23 raids, including six successful touch points, one bonus point, three unsuccessful raids, and 13 empty raids.

Despite the injury, he had continued to play but was seen limping and struggling during the game. Dhankhar has been named as a substitute for the Eliminator 1, meaning he may be brought in if needed. So far in PKL 12, he has accumulated 155 points from 15 matches, averaging 10.33 raid points per match across 270 raids, with four Super Raids and 10 Super 10s to his name.

Jaipur Pink Panthers had qualified for the Eliminator 1 after defeating the defending champions Haryana Steelers 30-27, with support from defenders Aryan Kumar and Deepanshu Khatri, who contributed five and four points respectively. Patna Pirates had advanced after a 40-31 win over U Mumba, with Ayan scoring 14 points in a standout performance. This fitness-based strategy reflects the Pink Panthers’ careful approach to handling key players ahead of crucial knockout matches.