Top five defenders of PKL 10

These defenders were on top of their form throughout the season.

Even though the raiders have dazzled with their spectacular raiding techniques the fate of the game is decided by the defense. Veterans players like Surjeet Singh and Fazel Atrachali are still going strong while youngsters like Yogesh Dahiya and Ankush showed the world that they are coming in to capture it.

The veterans were brilliant because they had established themselves as some of the greatest tacklers in the world, not only in competition. To see the youngsters perform shows the growth of the sport. There have been some outstanding defensive guards in PKL 10, here are the top five defenders with the most tackle points.

Mohammadreza Chiyaneh – Puneri Paltan – 99 Tackle Points

Puneri Paltan qualified for the finals of season nine and their left corner Fazel Atrachalli played a huge part in it. It was surprising to see the Paltan release him and to the surprise of everyone they replaced the veteran with a youngster from his own country Mohammadreza Chiyanneh. The 30-year-old has surpassed his previous records to finish as the season’s best defender with 99 Tackle points.

This season, he continued from where he departed as the Shadloui offered Pune the most versatile defense. He was well supported by Aslam Inamdar and Gaurav Khatri in the right corner as opposition Raiders dared to attempt bonuses under their noses. He is set to dominate the league for a few more years so watch out for him.

Krishan Dhull – Patna Pirates – 78 Tackle Points

Patna Pirates’ Krishan Dhull came a distant second in the race for the orange band as he finished with 78 Tackle points. The right-corner specialist for the Patna Pirates has been their star player this season. Having scored 78 in 24 games, Krishan has trounced most of the opposition this season. He wants to do well because he is aware of the expectations he placed on himself.

Patna’s qualification was in jeopardy and the right-corner specialist ensured they secured a record seventh playoff spot with an impressive outing in the Kolkata leg scoring 12 points in two games. He seems to be a big-match player and the Pirates would be hoping to build the team around him.

Yogesh Dahiya – Dabang Delhi KC – 74 Tackle Points

Many people had their eyes on Yogesh Dahiya when the season started. During the preseason, the Dabang Delhi coach spoke highly of him and the Kabaddi circles had talks of Dabang Delhi finding a new Hawk in him. Ravinder Pahal in that right corner made his PKL debut for Delhi and won the best defender award. Yogesh lived up to the expectations as he finished third in the list of most tackle points.

The greats are judged by how well their players perform on the biggest platform, and Yogesh Dahiya of Dabang Delhi seems to have a bright future. This season, the right-corner defender earned 74 points in 23 games and demonstrated that he has the temperament to perform well under pressure.

Rahul Sethpal – Haryana Steelers – 73 Tackle Points

This season, Rahul Sethpal has been Haryana’s best defender. Having recorded 73 tackle points, including three pivotal points in the semifinal, the right-corner defender came in fourth place in terms of most tackle points scored. He was instrumental in forming his team’s defense this season and carried out every plan he had with precision.

Rahul finding form at the right time was one of the key reasons why the Haryana Steelers qualified for the playoffs as they had their best finish in their six-year PKL career. Coach Manpreet Singh invested a lot in him and he repaid especially during super tackles as he effected 15 Super Tackles, the most by any player this season. The fact that no other player could reach double figures in this stat shows the impact of Sethpal this season.

Mohit Nandal – Haryana Steelers – 70 Tackle Points

Haryana Steelers were gifted to have a strong defensive quartet and one man who was instrumental in holding it together was Mohit Nandal. With 70 Tackle points, he finished fifth in the list of most tackle points but his impact was more than the actual numbers suggest as they often strike as the teams and demoralize the opposition Raiders.

Throughout the season, one of the most effective defensive duos has been Mohit and Jaideep. The two have been the core of the Haryana Steelers throughout the current season, and their frequent communication to discuss strategy during games has altered the outcome of many of them.

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