Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh is one of the, if not the most feared names currently in the sport of Kabaddi. In his 3 seasons in the Pro Kabaddi League, the Iranian defender has been in 2 PKL Finals while winning one of them. That solitary PKL Title in his very young PKL Career came with the Puneri Paltans in Season 10. The Paltan side are the reigning champions and last season they were undoubtedly the greatest Pro Kabaddi Team to ever play in the tournament’s history.
The Puneri Paltans did not just defeat their opponents, they demolished them. One of the biggest reasons behind their dominance was their Left Corner, which used to be governed by Shadloui, the monster. Consistently racking up close to 100 points in back-to-back-to-back PKL seasons is not a cup of tea for everyone. But if you are Shadloui, that’s just another regular shift. He has racked up the most number of tackle points in 2 out of the last 3 seasons.
And so, when Puneri Paltan let go of the Talismanic figure which was an integral part of their title run, the whole world of Kabaddi went into a state of shock. There seemed no logic behind that move. And no longer than 2 days into the new season, their astronomical decision of letting Mohammadreza Shadloui go may come back to haunt them.
As the defending champions take on last year’s runner’s up in Haryana Steelers in a replay of the season 10 PKL Final. Thanks to heroics from Pankaj Mohite in last year’s Finals, the Puneri Paltan won the match with a scoreline of 28-25. Just the 3 point difference. But now with Shadloui in the Navy Blue rather than Pune’s Orange, breathing down the necks of the Paltan raiders who last season were his best mates, we could see the result being in favour of the Haryana Steelers.
That is the kind of effect Shadloui has on the team he plays for. So, the question going into the 2nd Matchday of the new season is quite straightforward. Can Aslam Inamdar and the Puneri Paltan take down the Haryana Steelers’ Beast, Mohammadreza Shadloui? Let us know your opinion in the comments below.
