Pro Kabaddi 2019: 3 youngsters who impressed in the Chennai leg 

The seventh edition of the Pro Kabaddi League commenced on the 20th of July in Hyderabad and has completed its fifth leg now where the matches were played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai.

The Tamil Thalaivas failed to appear victorious in any of their matches, hence disappointing their fans. Having been defeated by the Bengaluru Bulls (32-21), Jaipur Pink Panthers (28-26), U Mumba (29-24) and after tying with Anup Kumar's Puneri Paltan at 31-31, the Thalaivas were clearly unable to break the home leg curse.

Their first match against the Bulls saw some problems bubbling inside the team. Adding to their misery, Manjeet Chhillar, despite displaying a superb game in the past matches for the Tamil-Nadu based franchise, suffered an elbow injury and was forced to sit outside for the rest of the matches.

In a leg full of controversies, the matches were extremely close-called with the results being decided only in the last few minutes. Pawan Sehrawat, the high-flyer of PKL 2019, ended the campaign in Chennai with the bright green armband and 103 raid points to his name.

On the other hand, Sandeep Dhull from the Jaipur Pink Panthers appeared as the most successful defender with 33 tackle points, as the Tamil Nadu leg concluded.

A bunch of youngsters impressed the fans and pundits all across the nation with their commendable efforts. Let's have a look at the three young guns who put up a spectacular game in the Chennai leg of PKL 2019:

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#3 Saurabh Nandal - Bengaluru Bulls (Defender)

Saurabh Nandal (Holding the ankles of the raider)

Saurabh Nandal made a debut for the defending champions, Bengaluru Bulls as a substitute in the seventh season itself and blew everyone's minds with his extreme defensive skills.

Carrying a not out percentage of hundred to his name, Saurabh bagged the Best Defender Award in Bengaluru's match against the Tamil Thalaivas, also reaching the High 5 mark.

Ashish Kumar, who has been an important part of the Bulls' squad since the past few years, hasn't been playing up to the mark in the current season. Saurabh, taking his place, left the fans of Bengaluru in absolute awe.

#2 V. Ajith Kumar - Tamil Thalaivas (Raider)

V Ajith Kumar

V Ajith Kumar started off his PKL journey with the Thalaivas this season itself and has been successful in leaving an indelible mark with his intricate and team-saving skills.

Pitching in points when his squad needs the most, Ajith has helped the Tamil-based franchise in an ultimate manner. In his face-off against the Puneri Paltan, Ajith became the top scorer from his team, with eight points in eleven raiding attempts.

In the Chennai leg, despite his team's losses, Kumar gathered a total of 19 points in the four battles that he participated in. A supporting raider to Ajay Thakur and Rahul Chaudhari, he had a fine campaign in his home leg.

The Thalaivas will need his help to win their upcoming match against the Bengal Warriors, which will take place in the Delhi Leg of the league.

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#1 Vikash Kandola - Haryana Steelers (Raider)

Young Vikash was highly impressive in two matches he played

Starting his career from the-then underdogs Dabang Delhi, Vikash had emerged as a dazzling player in the fourth season of the league. A crucial part of the Steelers squad now, Kandola did an excellent job in the two matches he played in the Chennai leg of PKL 2019.

In his first battle against the Telugu Titans, just like a lone warrior, Vikash pitched in a total of nine points in 17 attempted raids. However, the Steelers grabbed the opportunity to redeem themselves in their subsequent face-off against U Mumba and registered a win.

Kandola, giving a repeat of his prior performance, not only bagged nine points once again but also clinched the battle for his squad. He also emerged as the top scorer of the encounter. In the two matches that Kandola played, he garnered a total of 18 raid points, which undoubtedly was impressive.