The 2016 Kabaddi World Cup is just three days away and there is tremendous hype around it, given the scale on which it is being conducted. However, irrespective of the magnitude, things will come down to hardcore kabaddi and the Indian team will need to go out there and win matches to be able to live to expectations. The team is flooded with kabaddi superstars including the likes of Anup Kumar, Rahul Chaudhari, Pardeep Narwal and Manjeet Chhillar among others. No matter how strong any squad is in a tournament, there are always a few areas that require improvement and Indian kabaddi team is no different. Here is Sportskeeda's SWOT analysis of the Indian kabaddi team.
Squad: Anup Kumar (Captain), Rahul Chaudhari, Manjeet Chhillar, Jasvir Singh, Deepak Niwas Hooda, Pardeep Narwal, Mohit Chhillar, Surender Nada, Surjeet, Ajay Thakur, Dharmaraj Cheralathan, Kiran Parmar, Nitin Tomar, Sandeep Narwal
Strenghs - Depth in squad
To say the least, India has the most powerful squad in the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup and the depth is quite incredible. In fact, the squad of 14 is good enough to make two starting line-ups that can win the trophy. The raiding department features a wide variety including Anup Kumar, Rahul Chaudhari, Pardeep Narwal, Deepak Niwas Hooda and Ajay Thakur. While the aggression of Chaudhari and Narwal would help in grabbing quick points, Anup and Ajay can use their experience in crunch situations.
Manjeet Chhillar and Jasvir Singh bring in a great deal of experience, aggression and composure, which is going to help take pressure off Anup Kumar in leading the team. The team’s coach, Balwan Singh, is one of India’s greatest trainers in sports history and is not new to handling a group full of stars. His presence, tactics, use of players and vast experience adds another dimension to India’s strength as a kabaddi team.
Weaknesses – Defence
Given the kind of riches India has in kabaddi, it would be a little unfair to point out any weakness in this squad bustling with Kabaddi superstars. However, if there is anything that India’s opponents can think of targeting in terms of a weakness, it is the team’s defence. India’s defence comprises Mohit Chhillar, Surender Nada, Manjeet Chhillar, Dharmaraj Cheralathan and Surjeet Narwal.
Surender Nada, Dharmaraj Cheralathan and Surjeet Narwal did not have the best of Pro Kabaddi 2016 Season 4, something that will surely play on the minds of opponents. Mohit Chhillar and Surender Nada were both in the Bengaluru Bulls side but could not steer their team to a top four spot. On the other hand, Dharmaraj Cheralathan, despite being the captain of title-winning Patna Pirates, was overshadowed by the likes of Fazel Atrachali and Hadi Oshtorak. Teams like Iran and South Korea will be looking to exploit these weaknesses.
Opportunities – Youngsters rising to the occasion
India, without any shadow of a doubt, has a great deal of experience in its ranks with the presence of Anup Kumar, Manjeet Chhillar, Dharmaraj Cheralathan and Jasvir Singh. However, the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup will be about the group of young Pro Kabaddi stars, who will need to transfer their domestic form to the international stage. Pardeep Narwal, Rahul Chaudhari, Mohit Chhillar and Deepak Niwas Hooda were all stellar during Pro Kabaddi 4, showing exceptional abilities under pressure conditions.
The international stage is a different ball-game altogether and the pressure is a little more, considering the factor that you are representing your country. Though there is no doubt about the abilities of these players to handle pressure, whether or not they can perform on the international stage will be seen in the coming days. Should the likes of Rahul Chaudhari, Pardeep Narwal, Mohit Chhillar and Deepak Niwas Hooda help India win the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup title, it would mean the coming through of the next generation.
Threats – Implosion and Iran
How can a team with unparalleled talent, strength and experience succumb to defeat? By defeating itself. The Indian team does not have any stark weakness or areas for opposition to target with an assumption of sureshot success. However, when a team is full of superstars, coordination and synchronisation can become a big issue. There could be days on which lack of coordination or teamwork will affect India badly and they would need to be wary of the same.
The other team and the only one that can possibly challenge India for the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup title is Iran, which possesses top class talent and prowess. Iran features the likes of Meraj Sheykh, Hadi Oshtorak and Fazel Atrachali, who have all played in Pro Kabaddi and done really well too. They could combine to be a real threat to what seems like a trophy India is most likely to win.
