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Attack wins you matches, but defence wins you titles. That's a motto followed very widely in the football world, but it holds true for kabaddi as well.A look at the best teams in Star Sports Pro Kabaddi (PKL) this season reinforces that sentiment even further. Every team that has achieved something in the tournament has possessed a stellar defence which complements its attack perfectly. A good, solid foundation needs to be present in every team if they harbour any hopes of winning the title. And the defenders provide that solidity and security.The third season of the PKL saw plenty of rock-solid ankle holds and bone-crunching body blocks. Several defenders stood out, but here we take a look at the five best ones from Season 3:
#1 Sandeep Narwal
The Patna Pirates were undoubtedly the best team in the league this season. What made their success even more special was the fact that they beat defending champions U Mumba - a team littered with national and international champions - twice in the tournament. And they have to thank young Sandeep Narwal for that.
The 22-year-old was arguably the most consistent and impactful defender in the league this season. He curbed his raiding instincts and was handed the responsibility of being the main defender for the Pirates, which he fulfilled admirably. Narwal went about his job in immaculate fashion, making a massive 53 successful tackles and taking the 'Best Defender of the Tournament' award at the end.
#2 Manjeet Chhillar
Puneri Paltan had a pretty good third season as they finished in third place for the first time ever. And a large part of the team’s success must be attributed to the experienced campaigner, Manjeet Chhillar.
The captain of the Pune outfit has always been a good all-rounder, but this season he lead the way in defense producing a mammoth 56 successful tackles to take the top spot in the list of defenders with the most successful tackles. He might not be getting any younger, but the 29-year-old continues to set the standard with his aggressive defense that is proving to be thoroughly effective.
#3 Fazel Atrachali
Iranian powerhouse Fazel Atrachali has come as a blessing in disguise for U Mumba. The third season was a breakthrough one for the 23-year-old as he seized every opportunity that came his way. More importantly, the Iranian looked extremely tranquil on the mat and played the vital role of marshalling the defense.
The Iran skipper is, possibly, the bargain buy of the tournament having cost the Mumbai outfit just Rs. 4 lakh. Possessing an iron-clad ankle hold and a never-say-die spirit, Fazel is a nightmare for raiders and has an astonishing 69.56%tackle success rate.
#4 Mohit Chhillar
U Mumba’s right corner specialist grew by leaps and bounds this season. With veteran Jeeva Kumar not in the best of form, Mohit had to shoulder some additional defending duties this time. He was part of some amazing super tackles, most notably with Surender Nada against Rohit Kumar in the finals. Unfortunately for the youngster though, his efforts went in vain as his team ended up losing the finale.
With 44 successful tackles Mohit was fourth in the list of the best defenders. He also has an above average successful tackling percentage of close to 60. Despite the powers of U Mumba's veteran defender Jeeva Kumar fading, the three-time finalists are in capable hands with Mohit.
#5 Surjeet
Puneri Paltan's new recruit Surjeet was a rock in the team's defence and silently went about with his job to devastating effect. At the start of the season, not many would have identified Surjeet as the man to watch out for in this star studded team. But the right corner specialist exhibited why he is one of the most intelligent players in the league.
The 25-year-old made an impressive 3.91 successful tackles per match and looked at ease even in pressure situations. The fact that only Manjeet Chhillar and Sandeep Narwal, in their third seasons of the tournament, managed to get more successful tackles than the debutant speaks volumes about the youngster's abilities. With Manjeet in one corner and Surjeet in the other, it was no surprise that Puneri Paltan finished on the podium this season.
