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GUJARAT VS. BENGALURU: INDIAN KABADDI LEAGUE 2021-22, ELIMINATOR 2 | PREDICTION, PLAYING 7 AND FANTASY KABADDI TIPS

They may only have been separated by a single point in the final league table, but that doesn’t really tell the story of the vastly different routes Gujarat and Bengaluru took to get there. For so long, Gujarat were stuck near the bottom of the table, winning just 3 matches in the first half of the season. Bengaluru set the early pace, along with Delhi, but then won just 4 times in the second half of the season to just about limp into the play-offs. 

When they meet in Eliminator 2 of the Indian Kabaddi League at the Sheraton Grand Whitefield in Bengaluru on February 21, Gujarat will be favorites based on the form guide, with 4 wins and a draw from their last 5 matches. But the key numbers all point to Bengaluru, and that’s what makes this a fascinating contest. 

That Bengaluru average more raid points a game than any other side is no surprise given that they have Pawan Sehrawat in their ranks. But they were also 3rd when it came to successful tackles made. Gujarat ranked 10th on both counts, making it a big mystery how they finished as high as 5th.   

Both teams had 2 defenders among the top 20, but only one Gujarat raider, Rakesh, topped 100 points. Bengaluru had 2. Yet, despite these mediocre numbers, Gujarat found a way to win matches, especially at the most important stage of the season. 

Bengaluru beat Gujarat in the Season 6 final, but Gujarat have won 3 of their 4 games since. The outcome of this will depend very much on Gujarat’s defence and whether it can contain Sehrawat.

Match Details

  • Game: Gujarat vs. Bengaluru, Eliminator 2
  • Venue: Sheraton Grand Whitefield, Bengaluru
  • Date & Time: Feb. 21, 2022, at 8:30PM IST
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Probable Playing 7

Gujarat

Ajay Kumar, Sunil Kumar (C), Parvesh Bhainswal, Rakesh, Mahendra Rajput, Hadi Oshtorak, Girish Maruti

Bengaluru

Pawan Sehrawat (C), Mayur Kadam, Mahender Singh, Bharat, Chandran Ranjit, Saurabh Nandal, Aman

Head-to-head Record

Gujarat may have the edge in terms of the overall numbers, but it was Bengaluru that won both their meetings in the play-offs in Season 6, when they went on to lift the title.  

MatchesGujarat WonBengaluru WonDraws
8431

Previous Season Results

Over the course of the 2 matches in 2019, Pawan Sehrawat, the league’s top raider, was kept to just 11 points. Bengaluru simply had no answers to Gujarat’s blanket defence.      

  • Match 3: Bengaluru 24 – 42 Gujarat
  • Match 67: Bengaluru 23 – 32 Gujarat

This season

Sehrawat’s 19 points proved the difference as Bengaluru cruised in their first encounter this season. In the return, both he (12) and Bharat (11) registered Super 10s, but were outshone by Pardeep Kumar’s 14 points and Sunil Kumar’s High 5.   

  • Match 54: Gujarat 37 – 46 Bengaluru
  • Match 99: Bengaluru 36 – 40 Gujarat

Top Fantasy Picks

Defender

  • Saurabh Nandal average tackle points per game of 2.77 was the sixth-highest in the league. He didn’t end the regular season well, with just 11 tackle points in the last 5 matches. Neither of his 2 High 5s came in the final fortnight of the season. The play-offs offer a chance to redeem himself. 

All-rounder

  • Hadi Oshtorak tally of 9 raid points and 18 tackle points may not be eye-catching, but he has been a big part of the improvement in the second half of the season. Gujarat didn’t lose a single one of the last 5 matches that he played in.

Raider

  • Pawan Sehrawat is guaranteed to top the raid-points table for the 3rd straight season. The question now is whether Bengaluru will go deep enough into the play-offs for him to get the 44 raid points he needs to join Pardeep Narwal as the only players to top 1,000 in the league’s history. He has contributed 15 tackle points this season. 

Howzat Dream Team

  • Defenders: Saurabh Nandal, Parvesh Bhainswal, Girish Maruti
  • All-rounder: Hadi Oshtorak
  • Raiders: Pawan Sehrawat, Rakesh, Bharat
  • Captain: Pawan Sehrawat/Rakesh
  • Vice Captain: Girish Maruti/Bharat
India Kabaddi League 2021-22, Eliminator 2: GUJ vs BLR – HOWZAT Dream Team

NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own team from today’s fantasy kabaddi prediction and play all the upcoming matches of the Indian Kabaddi League on the Howzat fantasy kabaddi app. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 7 is announced by each team as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.

Know fantasy kabaddi rules and play every day on your favorite fantasy gaming app, Howzat!

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