CHENNAI: With 26 points from nine games, Haryana Steelers are sitting comfortably in mid-table. Captained by Dharmaraj Cheralathan, the squad has a settled look to it. So settled that the team’s two foreign players — Thailand’s Tin Phonchoo and Iran’s Amirhossein Mohammad Maleki — are yet to get a chance in this season of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL).
PKL rules state that each franchise has to name at least one foreign player in the matchday squad so Steelers name one of their two foreigners among the substitutes. With the rules met, the team management hasn’t bothered to turn their attention towards Phonchoo or Maleki. The former has at least made it to all nine matchday squads but Maleki has been condemned to the reserves.
These two players set Steelers back by Rs 22.5 lakh at the auction but have played zero minutes so far. Steelers aren’t the only side to pay foreigners a seven-digit sum to warm the bench. Out of the 25 overseas players contracted by the 12 franchises in this edition, nine are yet to take to the mat in a competitive match. And among the 16 to have seen some action, more than a few have only been brought on late in games, as a token appreciation of their skillsets.
For a league that has been credited in making Iran (and South Korea to an extent) an elite international side, its impact in making stars of players from other countries is questionable. The stats bear this out. Out of the 10 non-Iranian players in this year’s edition, only three have played — Jang Kun Lee, Milinda Chaturanga and Dong Leon Lee. And this has been a continuing theme as far as PKL is concerned; overseas players not belonging to Iran are, by and large, left on the bench throughout the season. In fact, Jang has been one of the very few non-Iranian success stories.
Tamil Thalaivas, a similar team like Steelers in that they are also shy when it comes to playing foreigners, hope that the situation will change soon. The franchise, which finished bottom last year, bought Iran’s second choice right corner, Milad Sheiban for Rs 10 lakh after retaining Kenya’s Victor Onyango Obiero. The two have, between them, played one match, the former spending a couple of minutes on the mat against Patna Pirates last month. Speaking before the Chennai leg began, coach E Bhaskaran said Obiero, who is recovering from an injury, could get a look in as the season wears on. “Last year he came to us four days before the season began. This year he has been with us since the camp began. He is recovering from an injury but the expectation is that he will be with the team (in the squad) soon.” But most teams have been forced to pick sub-standard players so as to not fall foul of the budget.
Going forward, it will be interesting to see if the league’s organisers redress this anomaly by amending the league’s rules.
Wednesday’s results: Puneri Paltan 31-23 Bengaluru Bulls, Jaipur Pink Panthers 28-26 Tamil Thalaivas.