Super 10 specialists Arjun Deshwal and Naveen Kumar to face off when Pink Panthers take on Dabang Delhi

An explosive doubleheader will kickstart the week’s action in vivo Pro Kabaddi.

The red-hot Tamil Thalaivas will battle the resurgent Haryana Steelers in the first game, and later, the Jaipur Pink Panthers will go head-to-head against Dabang Delhi K.C.

Check out our preview for both matches:

Match 45: Tamil Thalaivas vs Haryana Steelers

The Tamil Thalaivas have had a good season thus far. They are unbeaten in five games and sit fifth on the points table. Their defence has played a significant role in their success this season. Skipper Surjeet leads the league in tackle points (22), while corner defender Sagar has the most High 5s in Season 8 (three). Manjeet and Ajinkya Pawar have been vital on offence, and the Thalaivas will be leaning on the duo to continue performing well and end the team’s playoff drought this season.

After a rough start to the season, the Haryana Steelers have found their groove. They haven’t tasted defeat in their last three games and are steadily climbing the league table. The Steelers’ raiding trio of Vikash Kandola, Meetu and Rohit Gulia has been instrumental in the team’s recent resurgence. The defence, led by Surender Nada, has been streaky but scores plenty of tackle points in almost every game. If the Steelers can minimise errors on defence, they could be a force to be reckoned with.   

Tamil Thalaivas vs Haryana Steelers head-to-head

Tamil Thalaivas and Haryana Steelers are tied 1-1 in their head-to-head clashes through five matches. The three teams have shared the spoils on three occasions. 

Match 46: Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Dabang Delhi K.C.

In their previous outing, the Jaipur Pink Panthers snapped their three-game losing streak with a 31-26 over the Puneri Paltan. Arjun Deshwal was again the star of the show for Jaipur as he recorded his seventh straight Super 10, the joint-most in the vivo PKL this season. The defence, too, had a good outing. They held the Paltan to just 26 points while scoring 11 tackle points. It was a crucial win for the Pink Panthers and one that, they hope, will kickstart a run of good results.

The Dabang Delhi K.C. sit pretty at the top of the vivo PKL standings and are yet to taste defeat this season. They have played seven, won five, tied two, and have a league-best score difference of +37. The key to their success has been reigning MVP Naveen Kumar’s historic form. The reigning MVP has racked up 123 raid points in just seven games. No other player in the league has 100 raid points this season. Delhi’s average of 35.86 points per game is the highest in Season 8. They have conceded only 214 points this season. Only two other teams have given up fewer thus far. Delhi is a well-oiled machine, and it will take a flawless performance to stand a chance to beat them.    

Jaipur Pink Panthers vs. Dabang Delhi K.C. head-to-head

The Jaipur Pink Panthers and Dabang Delhi K.C.’s head-to-head series is tied at 7-7. The two teams have also played out two ties.

PKL Schedule for Monday, January 10

Match 45: Tamil Thalaivas vs. Haryana Steelers., 7:30 PM IST

Match 46: Jaipur Pink Panthers vs. Dabang Delhi K.C., 8:30 PM IST

Where to watch vivo Pro Kabaddi live?

Catch all the LIVE action from vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 8 on the Star Sports Network and LIVE streaming on Disney+Hotstar.