Gujarat Giants, formerly Gujarat Fortune Giants, is a professional Kabaddi team based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, competing in the Pro Kabaddi League. Owned by the sports arm of the Adani Group, Adani Sportsline,[2] Gujarat Giants joined the league in 2017. The team, currently led by Iranian defender Fazel Atrachali and coached by Ram Mehar Singh, plays home matches at The Arena by TransStadia.[3] They made it to the finals in their first two seasons, in 2017 and 2018, finishing as runners-up both times. Despite a strong come-back, they were eliminated in the playoffs of PKL Season X by Haryana Steelers in the Eliminator.[4]
Team identity
Logo and mascot
The Gujarat Giants' logo depicts a muscular giant in a red dhoti with a tilak on his forehead. This represents the team's values of power, strength, and energy.[5]
Anthem
The current anthem, Garjega Gujarat, was sung by Daler Mehandi and Gujarati folk singer Aditya Gadhvi.[6]
Team history
2017
Gujarat Giants entered the Pro Kabaddi League in the 2017 season under the name Gujarat Fortune Giants. In the fifth season of the league, the Giants were the first team to qualify with a record of 15 wins in 22 games. They swiftly made their way to the finals of the tournament. However, despite their strong performance, they faced defeat at the hands of Patna Pirates, losing 38-55 in the final. Notable players in their lineup included Fazel Atrachali, a key defender, and Abozar Mighani, their most expensive overseas pick in the auction. Additionally, the team bolstered its roster by adding Sukesh Hegde, further strengthening their lineup.[7][8]
During their inaugural season, individual performances also stood out for the Giants. Sachin emerged as their top raider, making 132 successful raids in 32 games. Meanwhile, Abozar Mighani led the team in successful tackles with 63 in 24 games. Fazel Atrachali achieved the most High 5s for the Giants, securing four in 24 matches. Sachin's notable performance in Qualifier 1, where he earned 9 points against Bengal Warriors, played a key role in Gujarat Giants reaching the final.[9][10]
In season 6, Gujarat Giants made Sunil Kumar[12] their captain and decided not to retain Fazel Atrachali. Despite this change, they continued to excel, as they became the first team to qualify for the playoffs with 17 wins out of 22 matches. Once again, they advanced to the finals but faced defeat against Bengaluru in Mumbai. Their journey to the final saw them triumph over the Yoddhas in Qualifier 1.[13]
Sachin carried forward his form from season 5, emerging as the top raider for the Giants with 159 successful raids in 23 games.[14] He also amassed the most raid points for the team, totaling 190 points, and achieved the most Super 10s with 7.[15] Sachin's contributions earned him a total of 204 points, the highest among all Gujarat Giants players that season.[16]
On the defensive front, Parvesh Bhainswal had 82 successful tackles in 25 games[17] - the most by a Gujarat Giants player. Bhainswal also secured 5 High 5s during the season. His tally of 86 tackle points ranked him second-highest across the league.[18]
In the seventh season of the Pro Kabaddi League, Gujarat Giants led by Sunil Kumar finished in 9th place.[20] Out of the 22 games they played, they managed to secure victory in 7 matches. Their last game of the season saw them defeat the Telugu Titans with a scoreline of 48-38. Despite starting the tournament strong with three consecutive wins, they faced a setback by losing six games in a row thereafter. This inconsistency led to them missing out on the playoffs for the first time since their entry into the PKL.[21]
Rohit Gulia emerged as the top raider for the Gujarat Giants, accumulating 132 raid points across 22 games.[22] He also notched up the most Super 10s for the team,[23] achieving this feat four times during the season. Meanwhile, Sunil Kumar secured six super tackles in 18 games, highlighting his contribution to the team's defensive strategy.[24]
The 8th season of the Pro Kabaddi League faced a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, eventually starting in December 2021. For Gujarat Giants it was a season of redemption after their absence from the playoffs in 2019. They made a strong comeback, winning 10 out of 22 games to secure a playoff spot. However, their journey in the playoffs was cut short after defeat by Bengaluru Bulls in the Eliminator 2.[26]
Despite missing key players like Rohit Gulia and Sachin Tanwar, the Giants managed to maintain a competitive edge by retaining Parvesh Bhainswal and Sunil Kumar from the previous season. Bhainswal emerged as a standout performer, leading the team in tackle points with 56 in 23 games and recording the most super ackles (10).[27] Additionally, Girish Maruti Ernak, brought in during the auction ahead of the season, showcased his defense, securing the most high 5s for the Giants, totaling 4 throughout the season.[28]
Ahead of the 9th season of the Pro Kabaddi League, Gujarat Giants made strategic moves by replacing Manpreet Singh with Ram Mehar Singh as their coach. Ram Mehar Singh had earlier guided the Patna to victory in season 5, and brought valuable experience to the team. Additionally, Ram Mehar Singh's recognition as an Arjuna recipient for his gold-medal-winning performances at the Asian Games added further credibility to his coaching skills.[30] Chandran Ranjit was entrusted with the captaincy.
The Giants commenced their season with a draw against the Thalaivas. During the Bengaluru leg, they secured 3 wins but also faced 3 losses. However, their campaign hit a snag when captain Chandran sustained an injury, resulting in Dong Geon Lee stepping in as the stand-in captain. Despite this setback, the team persevered, albeit facing a challenging final leg where they suffered 4 consecutive losses. However, they finished the season on a positive note, clinching 4 wins and a draw in their last 5 matches. Ultimately, they secured the 8th position in the points table with 9 wins out of 22 games.[31]
Parteek Dahiya emerged as the top scorer for the Giants, amassing an impressive total of 183 points. Rakesh contributed significantly with 131 points before his injury sidelined him. Despite his injury, Chandran Ranjit managed to rack up 95 raid points. Notably, the Giants had the best raid percentage (44.92%) in the tournament. On the defensive front, Rinku Narwal had 38 tackle points.[32]
The Gujarat Giants approached the season with a mix of retained and a number of high-profile picks at the auction. Having retained core players like Manuj, Sonu Jaglan, Rakesh Sungroya, Rohan Singh, and Parteek Dahiya, they bolstered the squad by acquiring defender Fazel Atrachali, a former Giant himself, for a significant amount of 1.80 crore. They re-signed players like Arkam Shaikh and Rohit Gulia, along with adding new talents such as Mohammad Esmaeil Nabibakhsh, Sombir, Deepak Singh, Balaji D., Vikas Jaglan, and Sourav Gulia.[34]
The Giants started their season on a promising note, securing three consecutive victories. However, they encountered a rough patch with three consecutive losses. They staged a comeback by winning their next three matches. Despite facing intermittent setbacks, including two losses in subsequent three games, they maintained focus towards the end of the season. Performance in the latter stages helped them reach the playoffs.[35]
In terms of individual performances, Fazel Atrachali made history by becoming the first defender in the league to surpass 450 tackle points. Sombir contributed significantly to the team's defensive efforts, registering 52 tackle points, including eight super tackles and four high 5s. Meanwhile, Deepak Singh had 43 tackle points in 14 games, highlighting his impact despite limited appearances.[36]
On the raiding front, Parteek Dahiya delivered a standout performance by setting a new record for the most raid points in a single game, amassing a total of 22 points against the Warriors.[37] Throughout the season, he accumulated 130 raid points in 20 games, featuring nine super raids and six super 10s, while Sonu and Rakesh Sungroya also made notable contributions.
The teams are divided into two zones with each zone having six teams based on their geographical proximity. Each team will play 15 intra-zonal matches and 7 inter-zonal matches. Zone A
The teams are divided into two zones with each zone having six teams based on their geographical proximity. Each team will play 15 intra-zonal matches and 7 inter-zonal matches. Zone A
