Defenders have never had it easy in Kabaddi. They have to do the dirty work. Plus, for all the hard work they put in, the adulation defenders receive is nowhere close to what the raiders enjoy. As Star Sports Pro Kabaddi (PKL) Season 4 drew to a close on Sunday, it’s only fair that we look at five of the best defenders from the league. Defenders who not only played well but were instrumental in their team’s performance in season four.
#5 Sandeep Dhull (Telugu Titans)
If you didn’t know who Sandeep Dhull was prior to season 4, you definitely know him now. The Telugu Titans left corner had a splendid edition. For a 20-year-old, he showed immense patience and maturity, rarely found among players of his age.
Sandeep averaged more than 3 successful tackles per match – only four players in the league can boast of such a statistic. He played a huge part in the Telugu Titans’ unexpected defensive success this season. With the pace he possesses, he helped his team play a high line and moved across the mat in blazing fashion. His partners had a tough time, holding his hand and matching his movements. He finished the season with 35 successful tackles to his name – nota bad debut season by any means.
#4 Manjeet Chhillar (Puneri Paltan)
Puneri Paltan once again faltered at the same hurdle as they did in season 3. But had it not been for one man’s heroics, they might not have reached the semi-finals in the first place. Perhaps the most interesting aspect about Manjeet this year was the versatility he showed while defending. At times you’d find him at the left corner, at times on the right. Sometimes he even deployed himself in a central cover position. The captain was ready to do it all.
He finished his campaign with 43 successfully tackles, out of which the highlight was the record breaking 11 tackle points he picked up in a crunch match against Bengal Warriors. One of the most consistent defenders in PKL,Manjeet averaged close to 4 successful tackles per match.
#3 Mohit Chhillar (Bengaluru Bulls)
Individually speaking, the Bengaluru Bulls right corner had a blistering season. With 44 successful tackles to his name, he sits pretty in third position on the defensive leaderboard. Mohit was omnipresent on the mat and showed the kabaddi world why the Bulls were right to pay Rs. 53 lakhs for his services.
The 23-year-old was a livewire on the mat and was constantly on his toes. Due to a lack of support in the raiding department for Rohit Kumar and at the back for MohitChhillar, Bengaluru Bulls had a season to forget. The record buy of PKL, however, averaged more than 3 tackles per match.
#2 Amit Hooda (Jaipur Pink Panthers)
When Jaipur began their campaign against U Mumba this season, a relatively mysterious figure graced the right corner for the men in pink. In Season 3, this man had just 11 tackles to his name. His improvement is beyond comprehension. With 47 successful tackles, Hooda sits pretty at the top of the defence leaderboard.
With eyes like a hawk, Amit was extremely proactive and aggressive in his approach. He showed he is no one trick pony by mixing his deadly ankle holds with his powerful upper body tackles depending on the situation. On numerous occasions this season, when the Panthers were on the verge of crumbling, his wise defending ensured they didn’t.
#1 Fazel Atrachali (Patna Pirates)
When the raiders go back to their homes this week, some of them will still have sore bodies. Most of them will be cursing the Iranian Fazel Atrachali as it was due to his no-nonsense defending that the raiders will be nursing their wounds at the end of the season. The Iranian has been so accurate with his body blows; he could patent them.
He successfully executed 45 tackles at an average of just under 3 per match. Thrust into the heart of a team that had just won season 3 and to replace the mercurial Sandeep Narwal, a lot was expected from Fazel. He delivered with absolutely no hesitancy.
The Iran national kabaddi captain was particularly impressive when his team were on the ropes. With a massive 7 super tackles, he prevented all outs for his team on plenty of occasions. With a successful tackling percentage of 62.5, no one else came close to the accuracy exhibited by the left corner and that is why he was given with the Best Defender of the Season award.
