#3 Puneri Paltan
Two consecutive 3rd place finishes is a testament to Pune’s ambition. But the Maharashtrian outfit will be desperate to move one step ahead this time around. And in Dharamraj Cheralathan, Girish Ernak and Sandeep Narwal, Pune have three diverse defenders which will ensure unpredictability in their game plan.
Dharmaraj will hold together this young and talented side. And whilst Ernak may not hog the limelight nor occupy the headlines, he’s a consistent defender who keeps it simple yet is effective. Then there’s his complete opposite, Sandeep Narwal. Executing an impressive 40 tackles last season, Narwal will act as the spring for the Paltan to ensure they can catapult themselves over attack heavy opposition. A side with three talented defenders is bound to be hard to cut open.
