Coming on a substitute for Gujarat Fortune Giants, Mahendra Rajput earned seven points in a single raid, underlining his name for pulling off the most valuable foray into the rival half in ProKabaddi Mumbai leg so far.
He sent out five U Mumba players (Iranian ace Fazel Atrachali, Rohit Rana, Vinod Kumar, Siddharth Desai and Darshan Kadian) in one twisting move, balancing bodyweight on both hands when falling, stretching out to touch the centerline resulting in an all-out.
Teammates celebrate
GFG teammates watching him wriggle out of trouble in a display of power and presence of mind, leapt in joy and embraced him for the seven points (5RP+ 2AO).
The raider explained: “I was one of the substitutes and on the bench when the coach sent me in, explaining what was expected from me. Sitting out is difficult, but at the same time we observe opponents and become familiar with their game.
“Going on the raid, I tried to execute the moves we do in training. Five players getting out in one raid is the first time for me, Teammates were happy.
A couple of U Mumba players I met later at the prize distribution also appreciated the effort.”
This burst remains the talking point as kabaddi takes a break after three hectic days at the NSCI stadium. GFG won the Zone A tie 38-36 on their only appearance in Mumbai and travel to Ahmedabad to host the home leg.
Raid points are difficult to score in the sixth season, catchers are bolder and sharper in taking calculated risks to trap attackers, or dismiss them with a shove. No PKL raider, however huge his reputation or large his signing fee, is able to escape their clutches.
Stand-out feat
Rajput’s feat stands out in a competition where tackling is deciding match outcomes. “U Mumba is a top team and defence is good. We try to replicate in matches what is taught in training,” said the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) employee from Dhulia district, Maharashtra.
Praise for the match-defining raid came from rival captain Atrachali, whose surge from the left corner and a two-handed thigh hold triggered a reflex response from the raider.
“We made only one big mistake and it cost us (the match). I take responsibility, my tackle led to it. I was a great game and these things happen.”
Rajput played for Bengal Warriors in first four PKL seasons, then a switch in 2017 to GFG which qualified for the final. He is among four players retained by coach Manpreet Singh, whose surprise weapon is now the talk of the town.
