Chennai, Oct 5 (NationPress) Rishank Devadiga expressed admiration for the performance of Gujarat Giants captain Mohammadreza Shadloui during the team's latest match against Bengal Warriorz, noting that the skipper has seemingly rediscovered his form.

The Gujarat Giants climbed up the points table after an impressive 47-40 victory over the Bengal Warriorz. Meanwhile, Puneri Paltan achieved a narrow yet vital 41-36 win against Jaipur Pink Panthers in a hotly contested game.

In an interview with JioStar, Rishank Devadiga analyzed the Gujarat Giants’ cohesive and dominant performance, highlighted the defensive shortcomings of Bengal Warriorz, and commended the balanced raiding duo of Pankaj Mohite and Aditya Shinde from Puneri Paltan.

Regarding the defensive issues faced by Bengal Warriorz against Gujarat Giants, Devadiga remarked,

“Devank Dalal is a player who consistently contributes points in raids. He is adaptable to any team. However, the defense must provide adequate support, which was lacking against the Gujarat Giants. The defensive performance from Bengal Warriorz was disappointing, managing only five tackle points throughout the match.

“On the contrary, Gujarat displayed remarkable dominance, functioning as a unified defensive unit. Rakesh particularly stood out at the start of the match. The duel between Mohammadreza Shadloui and Devank Dalal was thrilling to observe.”

Devadiga further praised Shadloui for his impactful contribution, saying, “The Gujarat Giants played as a cohesive unit against Bengal Warriorz, which was key to their success. Each defender performed admirably, and the way Mohammadreza Shadloui aimed to break the morale of Bengal early on set a strong tone.

“In the initial stages, he targeted Devank Dalal, while Ankit Dahiya also went after him twice, allowing Gujarat to establish a firm grip on the match. Shadloui made contributions in both raids and tackles, scoring two raid points and five tackle points. This impressive player has certainly begun to find his rhythm.”

Devank Dalal had a noteworthy performance as well. Devadiga applauded his efforts, dubbing him a ‘fearless raider,’ and praised his versatility and skills.

“Devank is an unstoppable force, a daring raider in every aspect. Whenever he initiates a raid, he displays great variation and skills, whether it’s through kicks, running hand touches, or securing bonus points. His performances have been outstanding. However, when a player consistently earns over 20 points, it becomes the defenders’ duty to support him.

“In the match against Gujarat, though, the Bengal Warriorz defense faltered completely. They conceded points far too easily. Rakesh capitalized on these mistakes, scoring 18 raid points.

“From the defensive unit of the Warriorz, Ashish Malik struggled, Shivansh Thakur failed to secure any points, and Nitesh Kumar had a poor performance before being substituted. Continuous defensive blunders allowed the game to slip away from Bengal. Despite Devank’s multiple-point raids keeping them competitive, the lack of defensive support ultimately cost them the match.”

In the other match on Saturday, Puneri Paltan narrowly edged out Jaipur Pink Panthers with a score of 41-36 in a closely fought battle. Reflecting on their hard-fought victory, Devadiga stated:

“Even with the win, Puneri Paltan might still feel a sense of disappointment. They started strong but couldn’t maintain that momentum through to the end. In terms of raid points, Jaipur performed well, surpassing Pune, but the difference was evident in the tackle points, where Pune’s defenders stepped up. Ali Samadi, however, deserves immense praise.

“His determination to fight back single-handedly in the second half was remarkable. Even when his team was trailing significantly, he remained hopeful and battled until the end. Kudos to Ali Samadi for that display.”

Finally, acknowledging the balanced performance of Paltan against Jaipur, he noted, “A well-established raiding combination provides a significant advantage, and in the contest between Puneri Paltan and Jaipur Pink Panthers, Pankaj Mohite and Aditya Shinde executed that perfectly. Pankaj attacked from the right while Aditya consistently earned points from the left. This early rhythm helped Pune build a solid lead, allowing them to play comfortably within a safe zone.

“However, they later encountered difficulties. Dadaso Pujari made a crucial defensive play, with his super tackle on Ali Samadi significantly altering the game’s course. Had Samadi scored during that raid, Pune would have likely faced defeat.”