Haryana Steelers' pair of Mohit Nandal, Jaideep Dahiya top the charts of best cover duos in PKL Season 10

Every position has its own importance on the kabaddi mat. The same applies to the cover positions in the starting 7. The cover defenders play an important role in completing a well-rounded kabaddi team. In fact, initiating chain tackles or a dash by a cover against any raider is a treat for viewers and a delight to watch. With most of the activity on the mat occurring among the raiders and corner defenders, the hard work done by cover defenders sometimes goes unnoticed. Here, we will take you through some of the top cover duos from Pro Kabaddi Season 10.

Mohit Nandal and Jaideep Dahiya - Haryana Steelers

The connection between Mohit Nandal and Jaideep Dahiya has been formidable for Haryana Steelers since PKL Season 8. Looking at their solid connection on and off the mat, the Steelers’ head coach Manpreet Singh named Jaideep Dahiya and Mohit Nandal as co-captains for the milestone 10th PKL edition. 

The past few seasons have seen Mohit and Jaideep combine to become one of the best cover pairs in the league. The Haryana duo featured among the top two spots for most tackle points scored by cover defenders in Season 10. They produced match-winning defensive masterclasses on a few occasions in PKL 10 as Mohit contributed 70 tackle points while Jaideep secured 68 tackle points. Their collective 138 tackle points helped Haryana Steelers make their first ever PKL final.

Sunil Kumar and Reza Mirbagheri - Jaipur Pink Panthers

Sunil Kumar has been rock solid in defence for Jaipur Pink Panthers in the last two seasons. The leader of the pack for the Panthers, skipper Sunil has shown good consistency on the mat for the two-time champions and produced 55 tackle points in Season 10. An influential player, he does more than just score points by guiding his teammates on the mat. 

His cover partner Reza Mirbagheri benefitted from Sunil’s style of play on the mat as the Iranian enjoyed a solid campaign. After scoring 36 tackle points in Season 9, he nearly doubled that tally in PKL 10 by notching up 60 tackle points. The cover duo of Sunil Kumar and Reza Mirbagheri combined for 115 tackle points in total for Jaipur Pink Panthers in Season 10.

Abinesh Nadarajan and Sanket Sawant - Puneri Paltan

The cover duo of Abinesh Nadarajan and Sanket Sawant played a vital role in Puneri Paltan’s title triumph. Abinesh who wasn’t the first choice right cover for the Paltan in Season 9 proved to be a crucial asset for them and featured in most of the matches for his team in Season 10. Playing regularly boosted the confidence of the right cover as he made the most of his opportunities by returning with 57 tackle points for the Paltan.

Meanwhile, Sanket Sawant played his part and supported his fellow cover Abinesh well with 32 tackle points. The pair of Abinesh Nadarajan and Sanket Sawant proved to be essential for Puneri Paltan’s journey to their maiden PKL title as they combined for 89 tackle points in Season 10. 

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