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Pro Kabaddi League Season 7 went off to a cracking start on July 20th as Telugu Titans hosted U Mumba in the first game of the season. U Mumbai emerged victorious against the hosts while the second game between defending champions Bengaluru Bulls and three-time champions Patna Pirates went into the last minute with the Bulls winning the game by just 2 points.
The first segment of the season was a highly entertaining one with Gujarat Fortune Giants topping the table after the leg with two convincing victories. Dabang Delhi also got off to a good start with 2 wins. Their game against Tamil Thalaivas was also one of the best matches that the tournament has seen. However, it was the inability of the hosts Telugu Titans to score a win in their home leg which remained as the talking point after the completion of the 6-day event.
The Hyderabad phase of the tournament was balanced in terms of the effect the raiders and the defenders had in the 11 games which were played. While a few extraordinary raiding skills were on display in a few matches, the defenders were also not far behind in exhibiting their talent on the mat.
On that note, here are the 5 best defenders from this leg of the tournament.
#5 Baldev Singh (Bengal Warriors)
Having made his PKL debut only last year, Bengal Warriors' right-corner Baldev Singh is already proving to be a vital player for his team. He secured 27 tackle points last season and he has almost crossed one-third of his Season 6 tally by participating in just 1 game this season. He picked up 7 tackle points in the game against UP Yoddha, thereby helping his team pull off a convincing victory in their first game of the season.
#4 Sunil Kumar (Gujarat Fortune Giants)
Sunil Kumar has been one of the main reasons for the fantastic start his team has had in the tournament. Especially in Gujarat's opening game against Bengaluru Bulls, Sunil secured 6 points from the right-cover position ensuring that the Rohit-Pawan duo did not find their feet during the game. Sunil's points tally reads 8 as of now and with a chunk of the tournament yet to be played, he is all set to beat his Season 6 record of 76 points.
#3 Mahender Singh (Bengaluru Bulls)
Bengaluru decided to invest a lot on Mahender Singh in the auctions and it seems, 'The Bulldozer' is already repaying the faith with his performances on the field. The right-corner has picked up 8 tackle points in the 2 games he has played so far. His achievements also include 2 Super-Tackles which helped the Bulls turn the tide on certain occasions. Mahender will now look to repeat his performances of the previous season and help his side move closer to the playoffs.
#2 Vishal Bhardwaj (Telugu Titans)
Although he might not consider it as a great start to the season, Vishal Bhardwaj has been one of the bright aspects of Telugu Titans in their disappointing start to the campaign. A few of Vishal's trademark ankle holds have come off successfully, thereby helping him to pick up 10 points in the 4 matches he has played so far. However, the youngster will be looking to better his record in the upcoming games and help his side get back to form.
#1 Manjeet Chhillar (Tamil Thalaivas)
It is no surprise that this man stands at the top of this list. Despite being an all-rounder, Manjeet has overtaken every other defender to secure the maximum tackle points in the first leg of the season. With 11 points from just 2 games, Manjeet's form is a good sign for the Tamil Thalaivas. He also has a super-tackle to his name and if not for a minor blip in the final minutes against Dabang Delhi, Manjeet could have considered this leg as a perfect one for him. Nonetheless, he is the best defender from the Hyderabad leg.
