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In a sport, possessing an all-round skill to cover all facets of the game is a necessity. Even in a fast paced game such as Kabaddi, a skill set that includes fearless raiding and rock-solid defence in a single player is a valuable asset for any team.
While raiders have often stolen the show with some spectacular jumps, 'dubkis' and deft touches, the defenders are not far behind either with some crucial ankle holds and full body blocks.
In light of the Pro Kabaddi League 2017, we try to pick the top 10 all-rounders, who have performed the dual role of raiding and defending to good effect.
#10 Shrikant Tewathia
To step out from the shadows of big players and make your presence felt is not an easy task by any standard. However, one man who has quietly gone about his job is Shrikant Tewathia, whose defensive prowess has often sidelined his skill as a raider.
Playing the first two seasons for Delhi, Tewathia often camouflaged the flaws of Kashiling Adake and Surjeet Narwal through his raids along with some crucial blocks. After representing Delhi, he played for Bengaluru Bulls under Manjeet Chhillar and this season, he will turn out for the Bengal Warriors.
#9 Ashish Sangwan
One of the youngest all-rounders in the PKL, Ashish Sangwan’s robust mixture of dynamism and game awareness played the perfect foil for the combination of Rohit Kumar and defence duo of Mohit and Nada.
The youngster, who generally guards the cover regions announced himself in season 3 with some crucial blocks, combining well with the corner defenders. In season 4, he also played second fiddle to Rohit Kumar and was also banked upon for some crucial raid points in Rohit's absence.
Ahead of season five, Ashish was the only player retained by the Bengaluru Bulls which spoke volumes about the importance of his all-round skill to the team's strategies.
#8 Ran Singh
Although Ran Singh is not one of the most famous all-rounders in PKL, he falls into the category of an all-rounder although his defending has overshadowed his effective raiding methods.
In 54 matches, Ran Singh has 49 raid points and 105 tackle points. Even though his stats are not the greatest, the fact that Ran Singh's raiding ability was used as a cover for Rajesh and Jasvir only highlighted his role as a defender in the team.
After continuous seasons with the Pink Panthers, Ran Singh will represent the Bengal Warriors in season 5, a team that will look up for something special from the experienced all-rounder.
#7 Deepak Niwas Hooda
When the 2014 auction results were out, Hooda was the talk of the town after Rakesh Kumar, ending up as the second costliest player, bought by the Telugu Titans for 12.6 lakh rupees.
For two seasons in 2014 and 2015, Hooda played as the Titan's secondary raider and complemented Rahul Chaudhari but did not contribute much to the defence department.
However, a move to the Paltan did him wonders as under Manjeet Chhillar, he added another skill to his fantastic raiding, that of defence. Partnering the corners or Manjeet himself, Hooda has managed to score 49 tackle points in addition to 342 raid points.
Ahead of season five, he was retained by the Paltan and will play the role of the lead raider for them in the upcoming season.
#6 Kuldeep Singh
A pocket dynamite but equal to some of the greatest all rounders in PKL, Kuldeep Singh formed an integral part of the Jaipur Pink Panthers in his stint at the Abhishek Bachchan-owned franchise.
The all-rounder collected a majority of his points while defending on the right corner but his shrewd raiding meant he soon slotted into the all-rounders role alongside Rajesh Narwal.
Even though his stats do not speak great about his calibre, the all-rounder was often in the thick of things and made life easier for his captain Jasvir Singh.
This season, he will play under Anup Kumar, a captain who Kuldeep regards as one of the best in PKL.
#5 Rajesh Narwal
Quick and effective while raiding, a support system while defending. While he often played second fiddle to Jasvir Singh in the initial couple of seasons, he slowly transformed into the lead raider as the seasons passed on.
Rajesh Narwal was very consistent in season one and with 72 raid points coupled with 26 tackle points, he changed the course for the Panthers and was instrumental in their title victory.
The all-rounder made such an impact that he was retained by the Panthers in all three seasons from then on as he continued to shine in both the departments.
In season five, he will change loyalty toward the UP Yoddha, who bought him for 69 lakh.
#4 Rakesh Kumar
An Arjuna awardee, Rakesh Kumar is an all-rounder who has been exhibiting his skill all over the globe since 14 years. A member of the two-time world cup winning Indian squads, Rakesh has also been part of the gold medal winning Asian Games and South Asian Games twice.
In 2014, Rakesh Kumar created history, earning the highest bid in PKL history, bought for 12 lakh rupees by the Patna Pirates. Given the captain's role, the all-rounder led the team to the semis before he moved to U Mumba a season later.
After partnering Anup Kumar for two years, Rakesh will look to take his newest team, the Telugu Titans to greater heights in PKL season five.
#3 Meraj Sheykh
One of the most sought after international talents, Meraj Sheykh is one of the most famous all rounders in the Pro Kabaddi League. The Iranian's agile raids and flawless defence on the left-corner have always left fans wanting more.
Even without much backing from his national side, the left corner has sent waves across the PKL circuit. Having missed out in the first season, he made an immediate impact in the second season playing for the Telugu Titans and also went on to lead the side at a later stage.
After playing three seasons for the Titans, Meraj will start season five with Dabangg Delhi.
#2 Sandeep Narwal
Sandeep Narwal is a man who is a nightmare for both defenders and raiders. Although he stole the limelight more for his defence than raids, his raiding often came to the fore, which made him the crisis man for the team.
In the inaugural auctions, he was bought by the Patna Pirates and made a serious impact right from the first game.In season two, his consistency earned him the captain's role which he relished, leading them to the semis.
After representing Patna for three seasons, he moved to the Titans in the fourth season as the second costliest player in the auctions at that time and continued to display exquisite control over his skill.
This season, he will play for the Puneri Paltan.
#1 Manjeet Chhillar
A team man and the team's anchor, incapable of being thrown down. Manjeet Chhillar is the personification of a dream come true. While the team is down in the dumps, Chhillar is usually the man who leads them from the front either in defence or attack, sometimes even both.
For four seasons, Chhillar has led two teams, the Bengaluru Bulls and Puneri Paltan which only goes on to exemplify the importance of the all-rounder to the teams he represents. From 59 matches, he has a total of 407 points almost evenly spread out between raid and tackle points.
This season, he will play for the Jaipur Pink Panthers jersey and partner Jasvir Singh.
