Pro Kabaddi League 2017 Season 5: Five player battles to watch out for in the Delhi leg

Season 5 of the Pro Kabaddi League has been action-packed and we head into the Delhi leg of the tournament as teams look to seize momentum going into the playoffs.

Dabang Delhi have had a tough season so far and would be looking to capitalise on their home leg to string some wins together as they look to salvage their season.

Meraj Sheykh is Delhi's main man and as an all-rounder, he will have responsibilities on both sides of the mat if the Eagles are to achieve good results at home.

With six matches for the home side in the next week, here are five of the most entertaining player battles to watch out for:

#1 Surinder Singh (U Mumba) vs Meraj Sheykh (Dabang Delhi)

The defensive strongman for Mumbai, Surinder has been immense in helping hold the defense together. With 39 tackle points from 15 matches, Singh has used his physical strength and athleticism to great effect.

Faced against Meraj Sheykh, the Mumba man will have to be on the top of his game to ensure that his side secure the win they need to keep themselves in contention for the playoffs.

Sheykh has been Delhi's raiding star, having scored 69 points in his 14 matches. His ability to combine his defensive duties with his raiding responsibilities has seen him become the team's star.

The Iranian's physical style of play will make him an important player in this match as Delhi look to get their season on track.

#2 Maninder Singh (Bengal Warriors) vs Amit Hooda (Tamil Thalaivas)

Bengal Warriors have been one of the best outfits in season five of the Pro Kabaddi League and they currently sit in second spot in the table in Zone B.

Maninder Singh's raiding partnership with Jang Kun Lee has been a major factor behind their rise and the Indian will have to be at his best, to best defensive beast Amit Hooda.

Singh has scored 117 points in 14 matches and has upped his game tremendously to become one of the best raiders in the current season.

Hooda has not had a lot of success as part of the Thalaivas, but that has not stopped him from continuing his stellar displays. He has scored 40 points in 11 matches and has been one of the top defenders in the league.

The battle between Amit Hooda and Maninder Singh will determine which team take the win in this encounter.

#3 Fazel Atrachali (Gujarat Fortunegiants) vs Ajay Thakur (Tamil Thalaivas)

Gujarat have been the best team in the league on a consistent basis and a lot of that is down to Fazel Atrachali's brilliance on the defensive end.

The Iranian powerhouse has scored 38 points in 15 matches and his partnership with Abozar Mighani has been crucial to their performances.

Fazel's physical, aggressive style of defending has helped take Gujarat to the top and Ajay Thakur will have to be smart to overcome that and help the Thalaivas win.

The veteran raider has faced off against Atrachali both in the Pro Kabaddi League as well as in the international arena and will rely on his guile and draw on his experience to get the better of his adversary.

With 75 points from 11 matches, Thakur has been the main man for the team from Tamil Nadu and will be key if his team are to get anything from the match.

#4 Monu Goyat (Patna Pirates) vs Sunil (Dabang Delhi)

The best raider in season five of the Pro Kabaddi League has been Patna Pirates' captain, Pardeep Narwal, but it has been the emergence of Monu Goyat that has caught everyone by surprise.

Pirates' second raider, Goyat has been mighty impressive and is now second on the list of raid points in the league this season, with a total of 134 from 17 matches.

He will look to continue his strong run when Patna face hosts Delhi at the Thygaraj Sports Complex. Dabang Delhi's best defender this season has been Sunil, who has done his best to try and keep the opposition at bay.

He has scored 19 points from 12 matches and has been the lone ranger at the back for the team from Delhi. Sunil would be intent on doing well against the defending champions and giving his team a chance to win in front of their home crowd.

#5 Rahul Chaudhari (Telugu Titans) vs Manjeet Chhillar (Jaipur Pink Panthers)

Telugu Titans' captain Rahul Chaudhari has had a tough season, despite his brilliant performances, as his team have been overwhelmed frequently.

The Titans' lack of depth has seen them rely very heavily on Chaudhari, who has scored 121 points in 17 matches. His individual performances haven't rubbed off on the team and they are struggling as they sit in fifth place in Zone B, with 33 points from 17 matches.

He will have to win his individual battle with Jaipur Pink Panthers' defensive ace Manjeet Chhillar, who has impressed despite having to miss a few matches due to injury.

With 27 tackle points from seven matches, Chhillar has been a key figure in defence for the Panthers, and will rely on his physical style to throttle Rahul Chaudhari.

Edited by Arvind Sriram