A month into the Pro Kabaddi league (PKL 10) and Puneri Paltan have established themselves as the team to beat this time around. They've won seven of their eight games and top the standings despite having played a game lesser than their closest rivals.
Take a look at these numbers they've put so far in PKL 10:
They highlight how dominant they have been: the Paltan have won four matches in PKL 10 by a margin of 18+ points, the biggest of those was a 36-point mauling of Telugu Titans. So what makes them so lethal this season? What is the secret mantra that's made them so hard to beat?
Puneri Paltan have raiders who can defend
Each of their raiders is fully capable of defending too. The captain Aslam Inamdar, Mohit Goyat, and Pankaj Mohite are the side's lead raiders but their ability to throw a mean tackle sets them apart.
The best at this among them is Mohit, who has a superb ankle hold, and has fashioned a transformation into one of India's most promising all-rounders. Mohit has 16 tackle points -- which is more than what some of the opposition's full-time defenders have managed so far.
Puneri Paltan have a defender who can raid
Mohammadreza Shadloui traditionally plays as a left-corner defender, but this season he's showcased quality raiding skills too. It's a common sight to see Shadloui in an advanced tackle position, taunting the opposition raider and waiting for him to cross the mid-line. The second the raider does so, he pursues, gets a quick touch and races back. It's a classic Shadloui move: he thrives on that element of surprise.
Case in point: during Puneri Paltan's game vs Telugu Titans, Shadloui ran into the Titans' half just as Omkar Patil was retreating and kicked him on the shin to win a point. In and out inside four seconds.
The retention of the core
Puneri Paltan won the PKL auctions even before it began: by retaining their core team. Aslam, Mohit, Pankaj, Abinesh Nadarajan, Sanket Sawant, and Akash Shinde have been with the team for a couple of seasons and have fully grasped coach BC Ramesh's coaching philosophy.
Unlike other teams like Telugu Titans who have 10 debutants in their team, Puneri Paltan did not have any teething issues since the squad was already set and they were able to hit the ground running from the first game. In fact, the only major change in their starting seven came with the their former captain Fazel Atrachali being replaced by another Iranian in the very same left corner position - Shadloui.
Aslam's captaincy
Aslam might be among the younger captains in PKL10, but he has a calm head on his shoulders. Fresh from making his debut for the Indian national team, Aslam has blossomed into a fine leader by making the most of the options available to him. Despite being a raider himself, he does not hesitate to send Mohit and Pankaj to do the bulk of the raiding and neither does he shy away from playing as a defender when needed.
He's taken a leaf out of Fazel's book of captaincy - he does not criticize or scream at his players when they err, but instead motivates them to do better. And the fact that most of the players are of the same age makes his job all the more challenging, but Aslam's gone about it smoothly.
The vibes are immaculate
Chances are that you've never seen a frown on the Puneri Paltan side of the mat this season. That's solely because of the kind of vibe and camaraderie the players share. If Abinesh is going for a tackle on the right, he knows Shadloui will sweep in with the dash from the left. If Aslam is attempting an ankle hold down the centre, Sanket or Gaurav Khatri will be there for the assist. And when Mohit is off the mat, he knows he will be revived in no time thanks to the watertight defence.
Each successful tackle is met with a big hug and pats on the back while raid points receive high-fives and smiles all across. This Puneri Paltan squad looks like a bunch of best friends playing for their favourite team, the results are proof of just that. A bunch of 20-somethings who want to go a step further than last season and lift that glistening trophy.