Having played five games this season, The Puneri Paltan sit on top of the points table with 19 points. They’ve suffered only one loss so far- at the hands of reigning champions, Patna Pirates. The team from Maharashtra look like a cohesive unit and rarely have they been caught off guard. Every single player contributes and in no way is Pune a one-man team. In the raiding department, Deepak Hooda has come into his own. The all-rounder has catapulted his raiding exploits to a new level. He currently has 23 successful raids to his name.
In Manjeet Chillar and Ravinder Pahal, the Paltan have formed a potent partnership to create a watertight defence. Although Ravinder has a subpar season 3, he’s definitely improved and continues to do so in every match. Something that was missing last time around. His qualities are omnipresent for all to see. Captain, Manjeet continues to lead the way for this much-improved side. The all-rounder has a successful tackle percentage of 60. A testament to his execution skills.
Also read: Pro Kabaddi 2016 Season 4: Puneri Paltan showing they are championship contenders
Sportskeeda spoke to the experienced campaigner on his role as an all-rounder and this is what he had to say- “I practice raiding for around 30 to 40 minutes during practice every time. So I try to execute the role of the all-rounder to the best of my abilities. Whenever our raiders get tackled, that’s when I go in for the raid. Because it depends on the situation. Sometimes I play mainly as a defender but sometimes I also play as a raider.”
Manjeet also heaped praise on the coaches of Pune for improving the squad technically. He believes forming friendly relations with the coach is of paramount importance, “Ashok and Bhaskaran Sir, they’ve both been Kabaddi players. Let me tell you something, Ashok sir is an Arjuna awardee and was a very good raider. So whatever success we’ve had in the raiding department, is because of him. He teaches us and interacts with us like a younger brother. He’s not only a coach but a friend. You’ll keep getting to know what he’s taught us”, he concluded.
