Star Sports Pro Kabaddi: 5 talking points from the Jaipur leg

Four electrifying days of action came to an end yesterday at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, and the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi Season 3 now moves on to the penultimate leg at Delhi.Despite the fact that the spectators were left disappointed to see the hosts Jaipur Pink Panthers look totally off-colour for most of their home sojourn, the high-quality performances by the other teams would have definitely helped them enjoy the thrills of the sport. Defending champions U Mumba continued their late flourish as they notched up their fifth win on the trot, while Puneri Paltan strengthened their bid for a semi-final place with a couple of strong showings.But one franchise that has remained rooted to their spot in the league table is the most dominant team of 2016 Patna Pirates. Sanjiv Kumar Baliyans men roared back to a dazzling win after suffering their only defeat of the season, at Patna.Here are the 5 talking points from the Jaipur leg:

#1 Patna Pirates qualify for the semis

Patna Pirates become the first team to qualify for the semis this season

If the Patna Pirates’ rivals had hoped for the table toppers to lose further steam after their incredible loss against the defending champions U Mumba, they were in for a disappointment. The Pirates bounced back in style, showing that the collapse was only a minor aberration.

They thoroughly decimated the 2014 champions Jaipur Pink Panthers on the final day of the leg, registering a massive 47-24 triumph. With a spectacular show of aggression combined with solid defence, the Pirates proved to be several notches better than the hosts in every department, who looked absolutely clueless.

Rohit Kumar was once again Patna’s shining star, as he grabbed a whopping 14 points himself. Sandeep Narwal manned the Patna box with efficiency and was ably supported by Hadi Oshtorak; the backline pulverized the Jaipur raiders, inflicting 4 all-outs on their opponents.

With 9 wins, 1 loss and 2 draws, the Pirates became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals.

#2 Puneri Paltans star on the rise

Puneri Paltan have picked form at the right moment

Prior to the Jaipur leg, Manjeet Chhillar’s men had given glimpses of the force they can be, but had somehow faltered at the end almost every time. It was finally at Jaipur that the team from Maharashtra was able to sort out the problems plaguing their unit, as they put up a mesmerizing display.

All the team members worked in tandem to keep a clean sheet for the Pune franchise at the Pink City. They started with a 32-22 win over Dabang Delhi that bolstered their confidence, so much so that they then went on to pummel the hosts Jaipur Pink Panthers 33-18.

Deepak Niwas Hooda’s superb all-round effort and Jasmer Singh Gulia’s watertight defense saw them contributing 6 points each in the victory over Delhi. In their next assignment against the home team, Chhillar played the role of the inspiring captain to a T and led from the front.

The talismanic Pune skipper completed a total of 300 Pro Kabaddi points during this encounter as he grappled with staunch determination. At the other end of the box, Surjeet complemented Chhillar's efforts superbly, and the two players amassed 14 points together to completely demoralize the Pink Panthers.

#3 U Mumba continue to assert their supremacy

U Mumba completely played Bengal Warriors out of the park

Defending champions U Mumba haven’t lost a single match since their astonishing comeback in the Kolkata leg that saw them prevail over the Bengaluru Bulls by 1 point in stoppage time. That narrow, nail-biting win clearly freed the players from the mounting pressure; they are now defeating every team with consummate ease.

With a brilliant display of tactics and calmness, U Mumba are now riding on a five-match winning streak. After becoming the only team to defeat the Patna Pirates this season, in the Patna leg, the Mumbai franchise continued in the same vein at Jaipur.

Led by skipper Anup Kumar and star raider Rishank Devadiga, the 2015 winners flattened the Bengal Warriors at Jaipur, posting a dominant 30-17 win. The Warriors still hold the No. 2 spot in the league table, but Bhaskaran Edachery’s men have sneaked up to the third place and are just two points behind, having played two matches fewer.

#4 Jaipur Pink Panthers struggle at home

Jaipur Pink Panthers defenders fail to stop Patna Pirates’ Rohit Kumar on the final day of the Jaipur Leg

It was a forgettable leg for the Abhishek Bachchan-owned host team, the Jaipur Pink Panthers. Navneet Gautam’s men definitely have a lot of introspection to do before they take the mat again if they want to lay their hands on the trophy this season.

After the completion of the Jaipur leg, the Pink Panthers are now languishing at the sixth spot in the league table, with four wins and seven losses. And three of those defeats came in their home leg alone.

Starting out with a 30-21 victory over the seventh-placed Bengaluru Bulls, the Pink Panthers flattered to deceive. The teamwork was sorely missing as they repeatedly presented their rivals with opportunities to make in-roads. A clear strategy was found wanting as the team struggled in each area of the game.

Their lack of coordination was thoroughly exposed in their subsequent matches as they succumbed to 18-33 and 18-34 defeats to Puneri Paltan and Bengal Warriors respectively. Their final match was especially disastrous as the league leaders totally annihilated them 47-24, with only Rajesh Narwal being able to muster a semblance of a challenge as he amassed 10 points.

#5 Double knockout

A still from the match between Puneri Paltan and Dabang Delhi which confirmed the Eagles’ exit

Misery continues for both the Bengaluru Bulls and Dabang Delhi as they remain stuck to the bottom two places of the table. Both the teams have been knocked out of contention for the semi-final with two legs to go in the league stage.

The Bulls played two matches at the Pink City and were thumped 21-30 and 22-40 by the Jaipur Pink Panthers and the Telugu Titans respectively.

These were their sixth and seventh defeats in a row, and it is imperative that their coach Randhir Singh thinks hard about the direction they take next season. The Bengaluru boys have lacked aggression on many occasions and haven’t been able to hold on to big leads, which have cost them dearly.

The situation is no better for Dabang Delhi who are still ranked the lowest out of the eight teams. After securing their first win of the season at Patna, they made a u-turn and slumped to their eighth loss in the Jaipur leg – a 32-22 thrashing by Puneri Paltan. The Eagles' semi-final hopes have been crushed; even if they win all their remaining matches, they will be heading home early.