Manjeet Chhillar is one of the poster boys of the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi league (PKL). There are few players who can get the fans singing their name irrespective of where they are playing, and the Puneri Paltan all-rounder is certainly one of them.
The 29-year-old is regarded as the finest all-rounder in the world and is known to bring his best in crunch games. The Puneri Paltan captain guided his team to the semi-finals for the first time in the club's history, and they eventually finished 3rd after beating Bengal Warriors in the playoff.
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With his exploits this season, Chhillar ensured semifinal qualification for his team in every season he has played in the PKL. Here, we take a look at 10 things you need to know about last season’s most valuable player, Manjeet Chhillar:
Manjeet Chhillar hails from Nizampur
Nizampur is located in the state of Haryana, India’s kabaddi hotbed that has produced greats like former India captain Rakesh Kumar. Manjeet is a star in his village, and many of his fellow residents have turned into Puneri Paltan supporters this season. Manjeet wants to be an inspiration for the young kids of Nizampur who wish to be kabaddi players in the future.
Manjeet Chhillar started out as a wrestler
Manjeet was initially a wrestler, but an injury to his nose saw him return to his village where he started playing kabaddi with the kids of his village. The rest, as they say, is history.
Manjeet Chhillar averages over 100 points a season in Star Sports Pro Kabaddi
The Paltan captain is not considered a top all-rounder for nothing, and he has proven his credentials by averaging over 100 points a season. Manjeet has scored 334 points in the three seasons of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi so far.
Manjeet Chhillar is the only player to have featured among the top 10 raiders and top 10 defenders in a Pro Kabaddi season
Manjeet Chhillar was among the top 10 raiders and the top 10 defenders at the end of Season Two of the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi, and he is the only player in the history of the tournament to do so. Manjeet was sixth in both the lists with 67 raid points and 38 successful tackles.
Manjeet Chhillar is the highest scoring defender in Star Sports Pro Kabaddi with 151 tackle points. The likes of Dharmaraj Cheralathan, Surender Nada and Mohit Chhillar come close, but Manjeet Chhillar is just a cut above the rest. Manjeet was also the Best Defender of Pro Kabaddi League’s season one.
Manjeet Chhillar trains young kids in his village when he isn’t playing kabaddi
Manjeet Chhillar feels it’s the responsibility of senior players to impart their knowledge of the game to the young kids. So he makes sure he does his part when he is not playing the game, as he tries to take Nizampur’s legacy forward.
Manjeet Chhillar lost 12 kilograms in a month to be eligible for the junior Indian National team
Manjeet Chhillar’s brother revealed that the star all-rounder weighed 62 kg when the selection for the junior national team was announced. With the weight eligibility for the tournament 50 kg, Manjeet reduced 12 kg in a month to represent India’s junior kabaddi team, a testament to his dedication and desire.
Manjeet Chhillar plans to be a coach after retirement
Manjeet feels there is a lack of coaches at the local level to train kabaddi players. So he wants to be a coach after retiring from the game, and plans to start new academies and tournaments for the next generation.
Manjeet Chhillar is the only player to have scored 50 plus successful tackles in two seasons
Manjeet Chhillar, Ravinder Pahal and Sandeep Kandola are the only players who have scored more than 50 tackle points in a season, but the former Bengaluru Bulls captain is the only one to achieve this feat twice – in Season 1 and Season 3.
Manjeet Chhillar is a fashion freak
His team mate, Ajay Thakur, revealed in an interview that Manjeet Chhillar is very fashion conscious. Ajay disclosed that the man spends quite a lot of time selecting his outfits and also spends a considerable amount of time in front of the mirror.
