We have all heard the classic tale of the farmer who teaches his children a life lesson using wooden sticks. He asks them to break one stick at a time, which they do effortlessly. But when he binds the sticks together, even the strongest efforts can't snap the bundle. The message is simple and powerful: "Together, we are stronger".
There aren't many places where this truth plays out more vividly than in team sports. A quintessential example is team Puneri Paltan, who find themselves sitting pretty at the top of the points table after the end of the Hyderabad leg in the ongoing season of the Pro Kabaddi League. Until their last night's defeat to Telugu Titans in the dying minute of the match, Paltan had a significant five-point lead over the team placed second on the table. To put that into perspective - five points separated the second-placed team from the 10th.
The stupendous part about this stellar run is that it is hard to pinpoint a standout performer. Most teams have one - Ashu Malik for Dabbang Delhi, Devank for Patna Pirates, Arjun Deshwal for Jaipur Pink Panthers, and Pawan Sehrawat for the Titans. But Paltan's strength has been the unity and cohesion that they have exhibited.
It does not come as a surprise for those who have watched the team from close quarters. Commentator Sunil Taneja had already hinted at this unison in an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda before the season began.
"I was associated with the team last year as a social media anchor. So, I watched their training very closely." said Taneja, "I named them “band of brothers”. (Watching them,) it actually feels as if 15-20 friends have come together and are playing the sport."
For the synergy they display on the mat, it does seem as if they enjoy each other's company and take pride in each other's success. Perhaps, that is why, a different player seems to put his hand up in every game.
Against U-Mumba, it was skipper Aslam Inamdar. In his absence against Gujarat Giants, youngster Akash Shinde stepped up. When everyone else had an off-day against the Thalaivas, Mohit Goyat almost single-handedly kept them in the game. Pankaj Mohite, Gaurav Khatri, Abhinesh Nadarajan, and Aman have also consistently delivered the goods for the defending champions.
A lot of credit for this success is given to coach B.C. Ramesh as well as captain Inamdar. In the same conversation with Taneja, we tried to delve further into the role of a captain in Kabaddi and its significance. He explained it by comparing it to his favorite sport hockey.
"Lets compare it to hockey. Hockey is mainly a coach’s game. Coaches are constantly dishing out instructions from the sidelines," said Taneja. "In Kabbadi, the coach cannot talk to the team while the game is on. So, in an ongoing game, it is the captain who drives the team."
"Why do we consider Anup Kumar or Rakesh Kumar as really good captains? Because in a sport so fast, where you have to perform a raid and then comeback and organise your defence too, your brain should work as quick as Chacha Chaudhary’s," he added.
Inamdar is an all-rounder who contributes to both departments. He often sets the tone by performing the first few raids and plays a key role in defense. Last night, he had to be substituted after he suffered an injury in the 11th minute of the match. Puneri Paltan bore the brunt of his absence as they conceded a one-point lead with just 12 seconds remaining on the clock.
"The beautiful thing about Aslam is that he leads by setting an example," said Taneja. "He knows how to win points while raiding, how to win points while defending, he knows how to talk to the team. He is very vocal also. All the qualities that a captain should have are there in Aslam. I think he is a very gifted player. Puneri Paltan and all of us Kabaddi fans are very lucky that we get to witness such a good all-rounder who is also a very good captain."
Puneri Paltan appears to be a well-oiled machine, where unity and synergy drive their remarkable results — much like an orchestra. As Halford Luccock put it, "No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it."
However, every orchestra needs a conductor. For Paltan, Aslam Inamdar seems to be playing that role. Fans would hope his injury is not too serious and he returns to action soon.
"Telugu Titans is a team to watch out for" - Sunil Taneja's pre-season prediction about the wooden spooners from last season
Over the last three years, Puneri Paltan have consistently found themselves in contention for the title. Meanwhile, Telugu Titans had been reeling at the opposite end of the spectrum. They last qualified for the playoffs in Season 4. In every season that followed, they ended up languishing at the bottom of the points table, even earning the wooden spoon thrice.
However, in Season 11, there seems to be a different energy on display altogether. In their last four matches, the Titans have notched up enthralling victories, trouncing defending champions Puneri Paltan, three times champions Patna Pirates, and strong favorites Tamil Thaliavas.
In our pre-season conversation, Sunil Taneja had distinguished the Titans as a team to watch out for.
"Telugu Titans is one of the teams to watch out for," said Taneja. "Pawan (Sehrawat) is already there, Vijay Malik has now joined the team. KK Hooda is a coach who knows how to make teams win. He has already shown that with Delhi. (I am) very keenly looking forward to Telugu Titans."
Indeed, coach KK Hooda's magic seems to be working. After their last night's win against the Paltan, the Titans are second in the standings. Sehrawat is once again among the top raiders of the tournament. However, this time, he has had better support. Vijay Malik has put in some clutch performances at crucial stages to help the Titans get over the line.
As the caravan moves to Noida for the next few matches, fans hope that the Titans can carry the winning momentum with them and eventually make it to the playoffs for the first time in 7 seasons.
Telugu Titans will play their next match on November 14 against UP Yoddhas, while Puneri Paltan will be in action against Dabbang Delhi on Tuesday, November 12.