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Pro Kabaddi 2019 is set to commence from July 20th this year which will see 12 teams battle it out in a brand new double round-robin format for close to three months until the final on October 19th which will decide the champions of season seven of PKL.
Raiding is definitely an important element in the sport of kabaddi. However, having a solid defense is also critical if a team needs to do well in the competition. In the past, teams with a good defense unit have gone on to do well in the tournament and hence, most of the teams look to solidify their defense with a few impressive additions in the auction.
In season seven auctions too, a few defenders went for a decent sum as teams looked to build a well-balanced squad for the upcoming season. These new signings will join the retained players in the squad and will look to strike good chemistry on the mat to help their team progress closer to the trophy.
On that note, here are five defensive combinations to watch out for in the upcoming edition of the Pro Kabaddi League.
#5 Mohit Chhilar and Ran Singh (Tamil Thalaivas)
It is clear from the Tamil Thalaivas squad for the upcoming season that the franchise is banking on experienced players to do the job for them. Apart from having Pro Kabaddi veterans in the raiding department, the Thalaivas also possess an experienced defensive unit.
While Manjeet Chhillar will be leading this unit, Mohit Chhillar and Ran Singh's partnership could decide how the team's defensive performance will pan out over the course of the season.
Mohit Chhillar was decent last season with the Jaipur Pink Panthers as the versatile right-corner defender picked up 31 tackle points. In Ran Singh and Manjeet Chhillar, he has two experienced defenders who could help him out to improve on his last season's achievement in the upcoming season.
Additionally, Ran Singh has been in exceptional form with his all-round skills and will look to form a fiery partnership with Mohit in the squad with the corner positions bound to be of importance this season.
#4 Girish Ernak and Surjeet Singh (Puneri Paltan)
A massive part of the Puneri Paltan for two seasons now, Girish Maruti Ernak is one of the best-left corner defenders in the country. After a staggering season five with the Pune squad, Girish followed it up with a decent campaign last season in which he secured a total of 56 tackle points.
For this season, he will be supported by the talented Surjeet Singh from the right cover position. Surjeet played for Bengal Warriors last season and he was procured for a big sum by Puneri Paltan from the season seven auctions. Considered as one of the best cover defenders in India, his partnership with Girish is sure to produce a number of tackle points in the upcoming season.
#3 Vishal Bhardwaj and Abozar Mighani (Telugu Titans)
Telugu Titans will once again go in with a similar defensive unit for season seven. Exercising their 'Final Bid Match' cards in the auction, the team managed to retain the services of left-corner defender Vishal Bharadwaj and right-corner defender Abozar Mighani.
Bhardwaj is still a youngster and with a record 60 tackle points last season, he is in good form and will be raring to put in yet another fine show from the corner position. He will be ably supported by Iranian powerhouse Abozar Mighani, who was fantastic last season and his brute strength helped his team do well defensively.
He will definitely make a good partnership with Vishal Bharadwaj and the duo will hope to lead the Telugu Titans to an elusive title.
#2 Sunil Kumar and Parvesh Bhainswal (Gujarat Fortune Giants)
Sunil Kumar and Parvesh Bhainswal forged the best cover-combination in season six for the Gujarat Fortune Giants. The franchise has spent heavy in retaining this duo for the upcoming season too.
Leading the side last season, Sunil Kumar was season six's best right cover defender with 76 points. He was shrewd in his approach and also assisted with numerous tackles. In season 6, Parvesh and Sunil finished as the second and fourth best defenders from the league, with 86 and 76 points respectively.
If Gujarat are to get past the jinx and clinch the title, the proficiency of the defensive duo will be key.
#1 Sandeep Narwal and Fazel Atrachali (U Mumba)
For PKL 2019, U Mumba have managed to set up a defensive partnership that is sure to give nightmares to many quality raiders in the upcoming season. While Fazel Atrachali is set to lead the squad from the left corner, he will be joined by Sandeep Narwal on the right corner.
Sandeep Narwal is the third best defender in the history of the league with 254 points while Fazel Atrachali has 235 points and is the league's best foreign defender. With the two stalwarts supported by youth in the form of Surender Singh and Rajguru, U Mumba have the best defensive unit in the league.
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