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Veteran defender Dharmaraj Cheralathan has joined the Jaipur Pink Panthers for the eighth edition of the PKL after the Abhishek Bachchan-owned franchise signed him for ₹20 lakh on the third day of PKL Auction 2021.
Dharmaraj Cheralathan, thus, became the first player in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) to be a part of seven different franchises.
Cheralathan began his career with the Bengaluru Bulls in the first two editions of the league. He played a vital role in taking the team to the finals back in PKL 2 with 42 tackle points.
He then moved to the Telugu Titans in PKL 3 and later on successfully captained the Patna Pirates to their second trophy back in PKL 4.
Puneri Paltan became his fifth home in the PKL and was picked by U Mumba as their corner partner for Fazel Atrachali in PKL 6.
In the seventh edition, Dharamaraj Cheralathan was named the captain of the Haryana Steelers under the guidance of coach Rakesh Kumar. He had played under Rakesh for the Indian Railways before and steered Haryana's defense on their way to the playoffs.
Dharmaraj Cheralathan to play alongside Deepak Niwas Hooda and Sandeep Dhull in PKL 8
46-year-old Dharamaraj Cheralathan is a versatile defender, able to play in both left and right corner positions.
He has been a part of the Indian Railways Kabaddi team in the Senior National Kabaddi Championships for so many years now. Dharmaraj Cheralathan also played for the Indian team that won the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup.
Having an experienced campaigner like Dharamaraj Cheralathan could boost the confidence of the youngsters in the Jaipur team this season. He has scored 259 tackle points in the PKL with 12 High-5s to his name.
He has played with the likes of Deepak Niwas Hooda and Sandeep Dhull in the past, and it will be exciting for Jaipur fans to witness 'Anna' on the mat leading the defensive charge for the eighth edition of PKL.
