Day three of Pro Kabaddi League Season 12’s ‘Revenge Week’ witnessed U Mumba dominate Gujarat Giants once again with a commanding 40-25 victory, while Puneri Paltan edged Bengaluru Bulls in a dramatic tiebreaker (6-4) after the scores were locked 29-29. Speaking exclusively on KBD Live, JioStar expert Rishank Devadiga analysed U Mumba’s defensive brilliance and the rise of young raider Sandeep Kumar, highlighted Gujarat Giants’ uphill battle for a top-eight finish and broke down Puneri Paltan’s defensive strategies.
Speaking on KBD Live, JioStar expert Rishank Devadiga elaborated on U Mumba’s defensive dominance:
“Winning two matches in a row is a very big statement, and the way Captain Sunil Kumar has played deserves a lot of praise. In U Mumba’s previous match against Tamil Thalaivas, Sunil picked up six tackle points, and against Gujarat Giants, he secured seven. He showed complete dominance. U Mumba’s defense played at a different level against Gujarat, with Rinku Sharma, Parvesh Bhainswal, and Lokesh Ghosliya all contributing with points. They played as a unit, and the credit for this win goes to the collective effort of the U Mumba players. The defense truly stood out.”
On young raider Sandeep Kumar:
“Young Sandeep Kumar completely neutralized Gujarat Giants’ captain Mohammadreza Shadloui. He had clearly done his homework on how to raid against Shadloui and executed it perfectly. First, he earned a bonus point, then escaped an ankle hold to pick up a touch point on Shadloui. Later, he used a kick, went deep, and took Shadloui out for the second time. The way he escaped inside and secured a multi-point raid was outstanding. Against Gujarat, Sandeep showed great variation in his raids, and attacking a proven defender like Shadloui, will only boost his confidence for the upcoming matches. He has been consistent and has now emerged as a lead raider for U Mumba. It will be exciting to watch his growth in the future.”
On Gujarat Giants’ struggles this season:
“The target for Gujarat Giants this season is to finish in the top eight, but their performance has not been up to the mark. They have played 10 matches so far and earned only four points. With eight games left, they need to win all eight to make it into the top eight. That’s a massive challenge for Gujarat Giants.”
On Puneri Paltan’s win:
“The Bengaluru Bulls made a good comeback and held a lead, but they lacked the experience to maintain it. Because of that, the match ended in a tie. In their previous clash too, between Pune and Bengaluru, Dheeraj Rajveer was sent to raid as an all-rounder but got tackled, giving Puneri Paltan the advantage. This time, when Satyappa Matti came in to raid, he was also tackled, and from there, Puneri Paltan sealed the match. We saw a repeat of history, and once again, Pune came out on top.”
On Puneri Paltan’s defensive strategy:
“The defense of Puneri Paltan played in a different way against Bengaluru. Their plan was to set up in a four-five defense, with both corner defenders using chains to tackle. They knew Bengaluru Bulls had quality raiders, who would target bonus points, so they stuck to this strategy from the start. Gaurav Khatri delivered an excellent performance in the right corner, while Gurdeep, usually a left cover, played more in the left corner in this setup. The combination of Gaurav and Gurdeep worked brilliantly, and their coordination in the four-five defense was outstanding against the Bulls.”
On the Bengaluru Bulls’ need for a leader:
“The Bengaluru Bulls are lacking the presence of a leader. There should be someone on the mat to guide the young players, because you can’t keep looking at the coach again and again. It is very important to have a leader inside the game, like we see with Sunil Kumar of U Mumba or Aslam Inamdar of Puneri Paltan, who control the match and take decisions themselves. The Bulls have a very good team with young and talented players like Aashish Malik and Alireza Mirzaian, but they need a leader to direct them on the mat. If players keep relying only on instructions from the coach, it becomes difficult.”
