The third leg of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi Season 4 saw Jaipur Pink Panthers replace Puneri Paltan at the top of the table. After leading the table for the first 2 stages, the Manjeet Chhillar-led team were finally displaced from the top spot at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad.
Some players thrilled the crowd with their splendid performances that got their teams vital wins while some shined despite their team crashing to defeats. Let’s take a look at 7 best players in Hyderabad that form the team of the leg:
Pardeep Narwal (Patna Pirates) – Raider
19-year-old Pardeep Narwal makes his way into the team of the leg for the third time in a row through his inspiring performances in Hyderabad. With 11 points against Telugu Titans, the young raider helped the Pirates complete their third win in as many matches to enter the home leg full of confidence.
Rohit Kumar (Bengaluru Bulls) – Raider
Season 3 MVP Rohit Kumar helped Bengaluru Bulls win both their matches down South with a total of 19 points. The 26-year-old came to life in the dying moments vs Puneri Paltan by snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. With 11 points, Rohit led the Bulls’ charge against the home team as they ended up winning 30-28.
Mohit Chhillar (Bengaluru Bulls) – Right Cover
The most expensive player in the tournament’s history won 9 defence points for his team in the two matches the Bulls played in Hyderabad. Against the Paltan, Mohit was at his destructive best by stopping each of the Puneri raiders with 7 tackle points while he helped his team’s cause with 2 crucial tackle points against Telugu Titans.
Ravinder Pahal (Puneri Paltan) – Right Corner
Ravinder Pahal was the only player from the Puneri Paltan squad who could come out of the Hyderabad leg with his head held high. Binda, as Ravinder is fondly called, showed why he was named the Best Defender of Season 2 with 6 tackle points against the Bengaluru Bulls, which also included a super tackle. Although he couldn’t stop his team from succumbing to a defeat, the 25-year-old’s efforts were widely appreciated.
Rajesh Narwal (Jaipur Pink Panthers) – All Rounder
Jaipur Pink Panthers all-rounder Rajesh Narwal showed why the Season 1 winners moved swiftly to retain his services for the fourth season with an inspiring performance vs Dabang Delhi. With 12 raid points and 4 tackle points, the 25-year-old annihilated the Eagles and in the process, helped Jaipur create the record for the biggest victory margin this season.
Rahul Chaudhari (Telugu Titans) – Raider
Telugu Titans captain Rahul Chaudhari was at his consistent best at the home leg despite playing with a heavily strapped right shoulder. With 38 points in 4 matches, the 23-year-old helped the Titans move off the bottom spot and reach 6th spot, a win away from overtaking 3rd placed Bengaluru Bulls in the table. He scored 10 and 8 points in wins against Bengal Warriors and U Mumba, respectively while battling hard in losses against Patna Pirates (11 points) and Bengaluru Bulls (9 points).
Sandeep Dhull (Telugu Titans) – Left Corner
After the loss to Patna Pirates in their first home match of Season 4, Telugu Titans brought in Sandeep Dhull in the team. And what an impact he had! He came up with a season-high 8 tackle points against Bengal Warriors to help the team get their first win at home this season.
In the loss vs the Bulls, Sandeep managed just a solitary point, but he was back to his best against U Mumba with 4 tackle points to ensure the Titans end the leg with a win.