PKL 2025: Rishank Devadiga pinpoints Shadloui's struggle after defeat against Puneri Paltans

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The ongoing Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 witnessed remarkable defensive displays, with Puneri Paltan, UP Yoddhas, and Patna Pirates taking center stage on Day Four.

On KBD Live on JioHotstar, expert Rishank Devadiga praised the defensive prowess of Puneri Paltan in their dominating win over Gujarat Giants.

He noted, "The tackle points outnumbered the raid points, which reflects how brilliant Puneri Paltan's defense was tonight. The raiders contributed consistently and even without a Super 10, they managed to perform well. The defense of Pune though truly stood tall. Abinesh Nadarajan, Gurdeep, and Gaurav Khatri deserve full credit for their exceptional performances."

Devadiga especially highlighted Abinesh Nadarajan's stellar form: "Abinesh deserves all the praise. He has been in terrific form over the last two seasons with Puneri Paltan, and we saw the same again today. He attempted seven tackles and scored six points with an excellent strike-rate. The way he dominated raiders like Rakesh and Parteek Dahiya was outstanding."

Devadiga also applauded UP Yoddhas' captain and defensive pillar Sumit for his impactful performance against Patna Pirates. Sumit completed his High Five, showcasing new skills like thigh holds and running blocks that helped turn the game in UP's favor. Devadiga said, "Sumit played really well today. He deserves all the praise. What impressed me most was the new skill Sumit has developed this season - executing thigh holds and running blocks with perfection. Tonight, he used those moves brilliantly to break the momentum of Patna's raiders and showed the perfect way to stop them."

The expert further addressed the dip in form of Gujarat Giants' captain Mohammadreza Shadloui, a top player and the most expensive defender this season. Reflecting on Shadloui's recent struggles, Devadiga remarked, "The way Shadloui clashed with U Mumba's captain Sunil Kumar in the last match and lost that battle, I think that's where his pride was broken. In kabaddi, mind games are crucial, if a player is mentally unsettled, it shows in his game, and that's exactly what happened today. Shadloui looked like a completely different player, almost as if he was playing kabaddi for the first time. It wasn't enjoyable to watch him struggle like this."