The most Herculean players in this season of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi
Hercules, the Demigod who marauded the streets of Greece, was known for his brute force. While he may be restricted to the pages of Mythology books, some of the players in this season of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi have startled the audience with their immaculate athleticism.
We take a look at some of the players who have taken the competition by storm with their sheer force and power:
Mahendra Ganesh Rajput
Kolkata’s 24-year-old raider towers over his opponents with relative ease. His huge frame makes him less aerodynamic than his opponents, but he makes up for it with his spring like feet and leaps off the ground with formidable force. One of the main advantages Mahendra has is his arm and leg reach. This means he can cover the courts distance in fewer steps than most if not all of the players in the league.
Jeeva Kumar
If Mahendra has long strides to help his game, U Mumba’s Jeeva Kumar is a mini tank. His petite frame ensures a low centre of gravity which he uses with military precision. His wide shoulders and solid torso enable him to power his way through the opposition raiders. One of his favorite moves is the sphere like tackle where he bulldozes his way to pin down the raider in an instant.
The 5 feet 3 inches defender remains indispensible to this U Mumba side. He reminds us of a certain Claude Makelele (former player) from Real Madrid, under the radar, yet an integral part of his team.
Sandeep Narwal
Patna’s Sandeep is equally adept at both the offensive and defensive aspects of the game. Apart from carrying out 207 raids, the diminutive all rounder also has 50 tackles to his name.
This season he has lived up to the reputation as being known as a maverick who uses his raw power and agility to carry out raids and take down his opponents. The 22-year-old would be a valuable addition to the already stellar Indian kabaddi squad. Effectual all rounders are hard to come by and Sandeep Narwal is slowly, but steadily establishing himself as one of the league’s best.
Waseem Sajjad
The Puneri Paltan’s warrant another name on this list. Pakistan’s Waseem is one of the cohesive elements of his team. He marshals his defense efficiently and has an impressive 60 tackles to his name in the sixteen matches he has been part of. He is known to charge through the opposition raiders and loves sweeping them off their feet, literally.