The Puneri Paltan got off the mark in the third season of the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi with a crushing win over Dabang Delhi in their last game in Bengaluru. Captain Manjeet Chhillar and all-rounder Deepak Niwas Hooda were the stars of the show for Puneri Paltan in that game as they provided no respite for Dabang Delhi.
Puneri Paltan now take on hosts Bengal Warriors as the Kabaddi caravan moves to the city of joy later today. Speaking to Star Sports in an interview, Manjeet Chhillar spoke about his new team, their goals for this season and his role in the strong looking Puneri Paltan squad.
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Chhillar seemed very much in charge of proceedings against Dabang Delhi and managed his troops extremely well. When asked about his captaincy in the game, Manjeet’s reply was one that got the headline makers taking note.
Aim is to reach the semi-final: Chillar
“An army is nothing without its General. If the General doesn’t inspire and lead his troops, the army will always suffer. So I must lead by example and keep the level of my performances up, so that I can expect the same from my team,” expressed Manjeet Chhillar before the game against Bengal Warriors.
However, Chhillar was modest about his team’s goals for this season and stated that the team isn’t looking beyond qualifying for the semi-finals at the moment. “I have come into a team that has finished in the eighth position for two years.
“So we have to be realistic and try our best to reach the semi-finals first. We have a great team and have some fine players like Ajay Thakur, Deepak Niwas Hooda and Surjeet and we are very much capable of achieving our target,” Manjeet stated after being asked about the kind of ambitions his team garnered.
The Puneri Paltan skipper shortlisted the teams he thought could challenge the Puneri Paltan for the ultimate crown, while firing a warning at the Telugu Titans, with whom they controversially lost to in their opening game of the season.
“I feel Patna Pirates, U Mumba and Jaipur Pink Panthers are very strong sides and will be very difficult to beat. We lost to the Telugu Titans in the first game, but I promise to beat them in the second game of the season,” Manjeet Chhillar replied, still bemused from the last minute defeat against the Telugu Titans in Vishakhapatnam.
Looking forward to the game against the Bengal Warriors, the Puneri Paltan all-rounder stressed on the need for a team effort to get his side over the line. “The key for us against Dabang Delhi was that we played like a team.
“Teamwork is extremely important and against a good team like Bengal Warriors that are playing on their home turf, we must put in a cohesive performance,” Manjeet Chhillar was quoted saying.
Puneri Paltan would need a win to get back into the top four and Manjeet Chhillar would be desperate for a win to get him and his Puneri Paltan side back among the elite.
