Legendary manager of Manchester United Sir Alex Ferguson once said: "Attack wins you matches whereas defence wins you titles". The statement came in with respect of football. Though, Iran's titular triumph in Asian Games in 2018 proved that the same concept applies to kabaddi as well.
Iran a team known for its defensive solidity defeated India, a team full of star raiders. The defence in kabaddi took a swift change after the introduction of Pro Kabaddi League. PKL brought the defenders into the limelight from the wilderness of darkness. Players like Iranian Beast Fazel Atrachali became a household name. PKl changed the life of many defenders of India but who have been some defenders who stood out of the crowd.
Let us take a look at top five defenders of PKL:
5: Surender Nada:
When PKL started in 2014, all eyes were on the raiding department. Pre-tournament favourites U Mumba had Indian Vice Captain Anup Kumar, Shabeer Bappu and a young Rishank Devadiga in their raiding department. The expectations were high from their raiding department though at the end of the season it was the left corner Surender Nada who had bagged all the limelight.
Nada hails from Haryana, from the mecca of modern kabaddi. Standing at just over 5ft 9 inches, he is not the most physically strong defender around but, makes up with his speed and agility. Nada is technically gifted and his signature move, ankle hold is feared even by the best of Raiders. After making a lasting impression in U Mumba's team and winning the title in season two, he moved to Bangalore Bulls in season four. Season five saw him leading the new formed Haryana Franchise, Haryana Steelers. He created a new record in season five when he scored consecutive five super 5's. Nada has 222 tackle points in the 71 games he has played so far. He also has 19 super 5's which is the second highest in PKL history.
4. Ravinder Pahal:
Dabang Delhi a team based out of the heart of the country, played miserably in the first two seasons of PKL. Probably, the only silver lining for the franchise was right-corner Ravinder Pahal. Ravinder Pahal established himself as one of the top right corners of the country. After an above average season one, season two proved to be a career-defining one. He was the best defender of season two. A little less than 6ft, Pahal is technically gifted and is always ready to grab the ankle or thighs of an unsuspecting Raider.
A Haryana Lad, Pahal has reached the heights that he is in mostly by being under the radar. Due, to the presence of Mohit Chillar and Surender Nada, he has found it difficult to make a permanent spot in the national team for himself. His talent though has made a mark in PKL. His signature move diving thigh-hold is visually the most delightful move of defence. Pahal has scored 229 points from 75 games.
f3. Mohit Chillar:
It is often said that Raider work alone but defence works in partnerships. During the initial seasons of PKl, while Surender Nada was guarding the left corner of U Mumba's defence, Mohit Chillar was marshalling the troops on the right side of the mat. Standing at 5ft 9 inches, Mohit is someone who is known for being a team player instead of individual brilliance. Skilled in both, dashes and various holds, Chillar complements the other defender in the perfect sense. A mainstay of Indian World Cup winning squad in 2016, he is a leader in defence. He can perfectly marshal the defence and in an expert in super tackles.
With his signature move Diving Thigh-Hold, the UP defender can make any raider lick the mat. With 17 high 5's the defender has scored 230 points from 85 games.
2. Sandeep Narwal:
If there was a reward for the most enthusiastic player of PKL, it would undoubtedly go to Sandeep Narwal. Narwal, who started his career mostly as the second raider for the Patna franchise, slowly transitioned into an all-rounder. He is the owner of tremendous speed and agility which makes him almost unpredictable in his raiding. Also, the 5ft 9 inches has an unbelievable strength which along with his grit makes him a solid defender.
A corner, Sandeep is one of the few players to score 200 points both in raiding and defence. Narwal is known for his consistency. His signature defensive move Block is just a proof of his tremendous strength. With 14 High 5's and 16 Super Tackles, he has scored a total of 234 points in 92 games so far.
1.Manjeet Chillar:
A professional Wrestler, who made a switch to kabaddi and became an overnight sensation of the game. This pretty much sums up the life Manjeet Chillar. He was first spotted in professional kabaddi in 2010 Asian Games. Even after making a switch late in his career he convinced everyone about his all-round abilities.
Born in a Jat family in Haryana, he has been a world class defender and yet is very effective in raiding as well. He makes up for his short height with his strength and street smartness on the mat. Nicknamed as 'One Man Army' by many journalist and pundits he was voted as the most valuable player in the second season of PKL. His signature move is Block which testifies his immense strength. He has scored 275 games in 83 games and is miles ahead of his nearest competitor. He also has 20 high 5's to his name.
