Pro Kabaddi 2019: 3 defenders who failed to impress from the Hyderabad leg

The seventh edition of Pro Kabaddi kicked off from the Hyderabad leg on July 20th. A new format and big player transfers promised to take this season to new heights. The first week at Hyderabad saw U Mumba first outclassing Telugu Titans and then getting beaten convincingly by Jaipur Pink Panthers. Also the home team Titans' failure to win a single game was the biggest talking point. All this speaks volumes about the intensity and fierceness of this season.

The first week was full of low-scoring thrillers and the reason for that was that the defenders gave neck-to-neck competition to the raiders. The young defenders impressed, with Shubham Shinde, Baldev Singh, and Parveen grabbing their chances with both hands.

However, there were quite a few big names who disappointed. A lot was expected from these senior defenders, but they failed to step up, thereby putting their teams in a poor position. Let us take a look at a few of them:

#1 Abozar Mohajermighani (Telugu Titans)

Abozar was named as the captain of the team ahead of the season. However, the Iranian has failed miserably, not only in this role but in the defense as well. Under his leadership, Titans lost all their four matches. He never looked threatening in the defense as well.

Though it is just the beginning of the season, the right-corner defender's form is worrying for the team. He has only 5 tackle points in 4 matches, with as many as 12 unsuccessful tackles to his name. His teammate and opposite corner Vishal Bhardwaj has fared reasonably well, but the duo hasn't been able to perform as a combination.

Is it the captaincy pressure which has prevented him from giving his best, or is it just a matter of poor form? Only time will tell, but the Titans' fans would hope that his killer thigh and ankle holds find the right timing once again.

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#2 Ran Singh (Tamil Thalaivas)

Ran Singh's form is crucial for the Thalaivas

Ran Singh was bought at the auctions for a sum of Rs. 55 lakhs, becoming the second costliest buy for the franchise after the showman Rahul Chaudhari. The price wasn't a surprise for the veteran, who, in Season 6, had impressed not only with defending but with raiding as well. The presence of depth in the raiding meant that he could now completely focus on defending.

However, he was able to score only two points in the first two games, with 5 of his tackles being unsuccessful. Though a strong defensive unit led by Manjeet Chhillar has managed to overshadow his flaws, the teams might be looking to exploit his weaknesses in the upcoming games.

Therefore, he needs to get back to form quickly. Tamil Thalaivas have kicked off their campaign in a nice fashion, and him coming back to points will further boost the chances of the team.

#3 Narender (UP Yoddha)

For UP Yoddha, the start of Season 7 is no less than a horrendous experience. After losing both the matches by a margin of more than 20 points, the team seems to be having a lot of loopholes in their combination. Both raiding and defense departments have miserably failed, and there isn't a single positive.

One of the biggest disappointments has emerged in the form of Narender. The defender was retained ahead of the season. A lot was expected from him, but he hasn't been able to score a single point in the two games so far. Moreover, he has 7 unsuccessful tackles to his name.

The Yoddhas largely bank upon Nitesh Kumar and him to deliver. Since it is only the start of the season, both have ample time to recover. Narender needs to justify his retention in the upcoming matches. If he manages to do so, UP Yoddha can get back to winning ways.