Kabaddi World Cup 2016: Mohit Chhillar, a nightmare for raiders, is key to India's chances

**Name:**Mohit Chhillar Age: 23 Position: Right corner defender **Key move:**Body block is one of the moves that Mohit Chhillar has developed over the past few years. Playing at the right corner position, Mohit’s swift body blocks have taken down most famed raiders. The youngster has constantly improved and is a favourite to start at the right corner position for India at the Kabaddi World Cup. Past record: He was part of the gold medal-winning Indian team at the 2016 South Asian Games. [caption id=“attachment_3037682” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Mohit Chhillar. Image courtesy: Star Sports[/caption] Mohit is yet another player from Haryana in the Indian team, and hails from Nizampur, a hotbed of kabaddi in the state. Located a few kilometres from New Delhi, Nizampur has produced greats like Rakesh Kumar and Manjeet Chhillar. Four seasons of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) have given enough evidence that Mohit can be added to that list as well. In 57 PKL matches, he has scored 174 points and was the most expensive player in the auctions before season four. It was under the influence of his paternal uncle, Sanjay Chhillar , an international player himself, that Mohit developed a love for the game. Since he was seven years old, Mohit used to accompany his uncle to the ‘Chhillar kabaddi club’ where he learnt what the game meant to the people in his surroundings. From there on, Mohit never looked back as he went on to play and win medals at the junior to the senior levels. Mohit, who is employed with the North Western Railways, shares a great understanding with Indian captain Anup Kumar. The 23-year-old blossomed under his leadership at U Mumba where he became one of the best defenders in the PKL. During U Mumba’s title-winning campaign in season two, Mohit scored an impressive 42 tackle points. His combination with Surender Nada who played at the left corner was instrumental in giving U Mumba an air of invincibility. Since then, the name Mohit Chhillar has spelt trouble for raiders. Indian coach Balwant Singh would be tempted to use that combination at the World Cup and captain Anup Kumar would be more than happy to join forces with his former teammates once again. For Mohit, being the most expensive kabaddi player might add a bit of pressure, but as he attempts to emulate the likes of Rakesh Kumar and Manjeet Chhillar, pressure is something he will have to take in his stride. The prodigy from Nizampur will have to play a key role if India are to win the World Cup. (With inputs from Star Sports press release)