There is no way a team can win the Pro Kabaddi League without at least one player towering above his teammates in terms of his contribution. In a league where games come in thick and fast, the best players are able to fight off complacency and dig deep every time they step on the mat.
These players eventually cement themselves as indispensable and irreplaceable. On that note, let’s take a look at 5 players who can win the Most Valuable Player award in season 5.
#5 Deepak Niwas Hooda
How did an all-rounder who has never featured in the top 5 raiding list, take the season 4 by storm? 126 points at an average of close to 7 per game, Hooda’s rise to the top has been meteoric.
In Season 2, his skills as an all-rounder truly came to the fore. Hooda scored 60 raid points and 36 tackle points, setting a marker in the league. Last season, he shouldered Pune’s raiding responsibilities which impacted his defending.
Heading into Season 5, he has a solid defence at his disposal. A 100-raid point and 30 tackle point season wouldn’t be farfetched considering the fact that he’s extremely disciplined and doesn’t let external factors negatively affect his game.
#4 Fazel Atrachali
In a league that’s littered with Indian talent, a couple of internationals have managed to display glimpses of their capabilities. But only one man from foreign lands has been able to outshine his Indian peers – Fazel Atrachali.
What began as periods of learning in his debut season (2) has now transformed into multiple periods of dominance. His 52-point season 4 act is the third best performance for any defender in the league since Pro Kabaddi began.
There are defenders who command respect and then there are those who instil fear – Fazel is the former. When a raider slides across the right corner, he fully realises the consequences of it. A thunderous body blow isn’t far away.
#3 Mohit Chhillar
For all the hoopla that ensued following Chhillar’s sub-par price tag at the auction, the Haryana Steelers know very well that they currently have arguably the best right corner in the world. Three seasons with 40-plus tackle points to his name, no defender at his age can boast of having experienced such self-assured and stable seasons.
Twice he’s switched teams and seen players come and go.
His solid performances have been the only constant variable. Anup Kumar reckons Mohit can go extremely far. Under his tutelage, the defender transformed into a mature player who refuses to get flustered when the going gets tough.
#2 Pardeep Narwal
Two back to back seasons where he’s scored more than a century of points, Narwal is proving to be the only player apart from Rahul who has been able to push the limits. He’s mastered the dubki – a move that even the best in the league struggle to execute.
Perfecting a single move might seem nothing extraordinary on the surface, but it’s helped him separate himself from the pack.
Far too often, we’ve seen the oppositions team’s defence suffer mental breakdowns when they’re at the receiving end of a perfectly timed dubki. It’s a moral damaging move which can break even the most experienced defenders in the league. A 200-point season? For Pardeep, the records are up for grabs and he’s intent on breaking them.
#1 Rahul Chaudhari
Since the inception of the league, Rahul Chaudhari experienced his worst form in season 3. He picked up an impressive 87 raid points at an average of close to 6 points per match.
For many, that could have easily been the best season they’ll ever experience in their careers. But Chaudhari sets extremely high standards for himself. Kabaddi’s poster-boy rarely experiences bad games individually.
He’s a supremely talented athlete with a god like work-ethic. As a defender, you’d have to have the best game of your life if you wish for Rahul to not perform. Such has been his consistency and tenacity on the mat. Nobody comes close.
