Panipat Panthers Coach Randeep Dalal: The Strategy Behind a Near-Final Run

Panipat Panthers Coach Randeep Dalal: The Strategy Behind a Near-Final Run

Panipat Panthers head coach Randeep Dalal built his Kabaddi Champions League campaign around a simple idea, that deliberate, role-based squad building would carry his team further than chasing marquee names for the sake of it. Season 1 backed up that thinking in dramatic fashion, guiding Panipat Panthers to one of the most competitive campaigns of the tournament's debut year, falling only in the semi-final to the eventual champions.

A Coach's Deliberate Philosophy

Speaking after Panipat Panthers completed their auction-day squad building, Randeep Dalal was clear about his approach, describing a deliberate selection process in which every player was chosen to fit a specific role rather than to make a statement bid. His stated goal was a unit capable of adapting to different match situations, a coaching philosophy that would go on to define Panipat Panthers' entire season, particularly in how the team responded to setbacks across the campaign.

The Auction Blueprint

Randeep Dalal built his Kabaddi Champions League squad around Ankit Jaglan, secured as Panipat's highest-bid player at Rs 9.8 lakhs and brought in specifically to anchor the team given his impact and match awareness. Around him, the coach strengthened the raiding department with Narender Kandola for Rs 7.2 lakhs and Meetu Sharma for Rs 7 lakhs, both expected to add consistency and firepower to the attack. Deepanshu Khatri and Ashish Narwal arrived at Rs 4.8 lakhs each to add depth, while a supporting cast of Sahil Deswal, Neeraj Kumar, Sagar, Vicky, and emerging talents Vishal N Kumar and Priyanshu rounded out a squad built, in the coach's own words, for intensity and adaptability across every match situation.

The Blueprint in Action: A Season of Answers

Panipat Panthers opened their Kabaddi Champions League campaign with a 26-26 draw against Faridabad Fighters, a rare tied result in the Haryana kabaddi league 2026 season, before a narrow 43-47 defeat to Hisar Heroes tested the group early. Randeep Dalal's side responded immediately, beating Gurugram Gurus 42-27, though a heavy 39-55 defeat to a rampant Bhiwani Bulls side followed soon after. True to the coach's philosophy of adaptability, Panipat Panthers closed out the league stage with the strongest run of any team in the competition, beating Sonipat Stars 48-24, thrashing Rohtak Royals 53-35, and finishing with a 48-37 win over Karnal Kings. Four wins, two defeats, and one draw across seven matches carried Panipat Panthers into the Kabaddi Champions League semi-finals on genuine momentum.

A Semifinal Battle That Slipped Away

Panipat Panthers were drawn against Rohtak Royals again in the semi-final on February 6, the very side they had beaten 53-35 just days earlier in the league stage. This time the result went the other way. Meetu Sharma fought hard to keep his side in contention, completing a Super 10 performance that stands among the finest individual efforts of the entire knockout stage, but Rohtak Royals held their composure under pressure to close out a 36-43 win, ending Randeep Dalal's first Kabaddi Champions League campaign one match short of the final.

What Randeep Dalal's Approach Means for Season 2

For a coach who built his squad around role clarity and in-match adaptability, Season 1 delivered exactly the kind of campaign that philosophy promised, a team that answered nearly every setback with a bigger response, undone only by the finest of margins against the team that went on to lift the title. With Ankit Jaglan already established as a genuine anchor and Meetu Sharma proving capable of delivering on the biggest occasions, Randeep Dalal's Panipat Panthers head into Kabaddi Champions League Season 2 with clear building blocks already in place and real reason to believe they can go one step further.

Follow the Kabaddi Champions League website for full team stats, coach interviews, and the latest updates as we build toward Season 2.