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The sixth season of the Pro Kabaddi League has got off a great start. Three days have already seen a huge upset, thrilling draws and some fine performances by the revered kabaddi exponents of the country.
The fourth day of the PKL 2018 will kick off with a blockbuster meeting between two champions -- U Mumba and Jaipur Pink Panthers at Chennai. They won the first two editions of the league and certainly know what it takes to perform under pressure against a tough opponent.
Anup Kumar faces a tricky situation since this is the first time he will be donning a Jaipur Pink Panthers jersey, having led the Mumbai franchise for the past five seasons. His new team certainly looks a pretty strong and balanced side this time and could lay their hands on the PKL trophy for a second time.
Here are the five reasons why Jaipur Pink Panthers can win the title:
#1 Arrival of Captain Cool
The Jaipur Pink Panthers could not have asked for a better captain. Anup Kumar is the 'Captain Cool'. He knows how to mentor youngsters, he knows how to guide them to the right path. He has the capability to inspire his teammates and make them listen to him.
He is an excellent raider and has amassed 489 raid points from 78 Pro kabaddi matches. His credentials as a captain are stunning as well. He led U Mumba to the PKL title in 2015, and two other finals too. He also captained India to a Kabaddi World Cup win in 2016, besides being a part of two Asian Games gold medal-winning teams.
Anup Kumar has got just about everything that one needs in a captain of a kabaddi team. Having played for U Mumba for five seasons in a row, this is the very first time he will be seen wearing a different jersey.
That is perhaps the only thing that has changed for him. He will still be the master tactician and the amazing leader that everybody in his team can look up to and trust.
#2 Strong raiding unit
The raiding unit will be led by none other than Anup Kumar. The 34-year-old and Arjuna awardee, with overall 546 points in his PKL career, has tremendous experience of leading the attack and will surely do justice to his first time appearance in a Pink Panthers jersey.
Kumar will get the required support from K Selvamani and Deepak Niwas Hooda, both of whom are efficient raiders themselves. Jaipur have also assembled some young raiders who will have the advantage of age and fresh legs, and can make a lot of difference. Lokesh Kaushik, Amit Kumar, Ajit Singh, Anand Patil, and Sunil Siddhgavali are some of the names who will hope to make a mark.
#3 Robust defence
The defence looks equally impressive for the former champions. Season 4’s most expensive player, Mohit Chhillar will, of course, will be the biggest name to watch in defence. From 77 PKL matches, he has 209 tackle points.
An Indian team regular, he knows well how to make a perfect partnership with the other corner defender in a team and deliver the goods for his team. This time, while he will be the right corner defender for Jaipur, Sandeep Dhull will be the left corner defender.
With the experienced Bajirao Hodage chipping in as the right cover defender, Jaipur have certainly ticked off all the required boxes.
#4 Excellent understanding within the team
Getting into the PKL mode right after suffering a shock defeat at the Asian Games is not easy. The Jaipur Pink Panthers understand this very well.
And that is the reason why, they gave players like Deepak Niwas Hooda and Mohit Chhillar ample time to heal from those wounds and be mentally ready, instead of rushing them to the preparatory camp. This itself shows how much sensitive they are to players’ needs and how understanding everybody is within the team.
Hooda and Chhillar had an in-depth chat about their mistakes with Anup Kumar and the coaching staff, and that has helped to free themselves up. With a more positive mindset, Hooda and Chhillar are now raring to go and are absolutely ready to bring the points for the Pink Panthers.
#5 Having past experience of title win
Having past experience of winning the title surely helps a team a long way. They started their PKL campaign with a bang by triumphing in the very first season, when the concept of Pro-kabaddi was relatively new.
And not just their big win in the inaugural edition of the PKL, they even made it to the final yet again in the fourth edition in 2016. Jaipur have no dearth of playing experience at the highest level and they certainly know how to raise their level when the going gets tough. After a shabby outing last season, where they failed to advance to the play-offs, they would be upbeat to change it all this time, especially with such a balanced team composition.
