Pro Kabaddi League Season 5: Five player battles to watch out for in the Jaipur leg

The last month of season five of the Pro Kabaddi League is upon us as we now move into the Jaipur leg.

Teams playing at home have generally done well this season, but the Tamil Thalaivas lost all their home matches, eliminating them from the race for the playoff spots.

The Jaipur Pink Panthers are still in with a good chance of making the playoffs from Zone A and would be focused on ensuring they win as many of their home matches as possible.

With the race for the playoff spots getting very competitive, all 12 teams would be keen to do all they can to put themselves in a better position to qualify.

The Panthers play six matches in the coming week and would be banking on stringing together wins to improve their position in the table as they look to qualify.

Here are five player battles from the Jaipur leg that would be the most entertaining:

Pawan Kumar Kadian (Jaipur Pink Panthers) vs Abozar Mighani (Gujarat Fortunegiants)

Jaipur have relied heavily on raider Pawan Kumar Kadian as they make a push to try and qualify for the playoffs.

With lead raider Jasvir Singh having played only 10 matches and emerging youngster Selvamani going through injury struggles, the surprising emergence of Kadian has helped the Pink Panthers steady themselves.

Pawan Kumar Kadian has scored 92 points in 14 matches and has been their most important player. His raiding style emphasises point touches and with his athleticism and strength, he is also good at going for broke.

Gujarat's Abozar Mighani has had a great tournament so far and has scored 52 tackle points in 18 matches. His play as right corner has been impressive and his ankle holds and smart dives have helped restrict opponents.

The Iranian has formed a great partnership with countryman Fazel Atrachali and would be the most crucial player for the Fortunegiants as they take on the Pink Panthers.

Sandeep Narwal (Puneri Paltan) vs Maninder Singh (Bengal Warriors)

Puneri Paltan have probably been the best overall outfit in season five of the Pro Kabaddi League, impressing with their balance across the board.

Sandeep Narwal is a big reason for their success, with his ability to both raid and be a strong defender helping the team's cause.

Against the Bengal Warriors, his role as a defender would be under focus as he goes up against Maninder Singh. Narwal has scored 39 points in 14 matches and his physical tackling style, coupled with his speed, will be very important against Maninder.

The Bengal raider has had a great tournament and has scored 155 points in 17 matches. He has made up for lost time after missing the last three seasons due to a back injury and is the main man behind the Warriors' rise up the standings.

Singh takes risks with his raids, going for multiple touches frequently, and uses his physique and strength very smartly. He would have to be at his best to take the team from Bengal home in this encounter.

Surender Nada (Haryana Steelers) vs Rahul Chaudhari (Telugu Titans)

A charismatic defender, Surender Nada has shown why he was the priority pick for his team during the auction ahead of season five of the Pro Kabaddi League.

The league's best custodian, Nada has scored 66 points in 17 matches, and has used his famed ankle hold to great effect during matches.

Apart from the ankle hold, the man from Haryana is also very quick with his dashes and very strong to dislodge once he commits to the tackle.

He will go up against India teammate Rahul Chaudhari when the Steelers take on the Telugu Titans. The Titans have had an inconsistent season and are currently working hard to try and put themselves in the reckoning for a playoff spot from Zone B.

Chaudhari's performances and ability to rack up big raids is key to their hopes and fans of the team would be hoping he adds to the 169 points he has scored in 20 matches so far this season.

Sachin (Gujarat Fortunegiants) vs Jaideep (Patna Pirates)

The clash of the titans, Gujarat Fortunegiants and Patna Pirates, will see teams leading both zones facing off against each other.

Sachin Tanwar has been Gujarat's leading raider, despite coming into the season as a highly-rated youngster who had a lot to prove. He has lived up to his auction price of Rs. 36 lakhs and has grown into one of the team's leaders.

Sachin has scored 121 points in 18 matches and has used his strength and speed to great effect, combining touch points and smart bonus raids with the odd risky raid.

He will have to get the better of Patna Pirates' Jaideep, who has overcome a slow start to become his team's best defender. Jaideep has scored 51 points in 19 matches and is now one of the top five defenders in the league.

The youngster was signed by Patna for an exorbitant sum of Rs. 50 lakhs, but he has shown why the team chose to splurge on him.

This battle of youngsters who have proved their worth will one to watch and will determine which team wins the encounter.

Manjeet Chhillar (Jaipur Pink Panthers) vs Nitin Tomar (U.P.Yoddha)

Despite Manjeet Chhillar's injury issues in season five, he has been Jaipur Pink Panthers' best defender. The side's attempts to upstage the teams ahead of them in the standings and qualify for the playoffs hinge on Chhillar's ability to get stops.

The experienced all-rounder has scored 34 tackle points in 10 matches and has been a reassuring presence in the team.

He will have to help control the threat posed by U.P. Yoddha raider, Nitin Tomar, if the Jaipur outfit need to have any chance of winning the match.

Tomar is the Yoddhas' franchise player and has been one of the most impressive raiders on display in the league, scoring 160 points in 19 matches.

The most expensive player in Pro Kabaddi League history at Rs. 93 lakhs, he is a flashy raider who uses his strength and power to score, upsetting the rhythm of opposition defenders.

Their battle would be key to determining which team comes out on top in this battle of teams fighting to get into the playoffs.