Mohit Chhillar has emerged as one of India’s top defenders in the last ten years, and his career began at a young age while part of the School Games Federation of India. Despite his father being a former player, it was actually his uncle who first introduced him to kabaddi. His successes have helped attract attention to Haryana, where many of the country’s current greats were born or raised – names like Pardeep Narwal and Anup Kumar, who both represent their homeland as part of India’s national team. For Chhillar, there’s no doubt that this formative experience had an influential impact on his career.
Mohit Chhillar’s rise from an enthusiastic kabaddi player in his village of Nizampur to one of the most popular names in India’s Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) has been remarkable. He made his mark by joining a club in his hometown and played well enough to draw the attention of U Mumba, who invited him to join their team. He rose to the challenge and finished with 35 tackle points, five super tackles, and two high 5s. Despite his impressive performance, U Mumba lost out on the title that season, settling for RUNNER-UP status after losing to Jaipur Pink Panthers. However Chhillar’s stellar performance promised a great future ahead in the PKL for both himself and U Mumba.
Mohit Chhillar has been a star of the Pro Kabbadi League since its inception, with three successful consecutive seasons playing for U Mumba and then joining Bengaluru Bulls. He was undoubtedly the costliest bid in season 4’s player auctions being brought by Bengaluru Bulls for an impressive 53 lakhs. His impressive season with this team saw him finish with 47 tackle points and a tackle strike rate of 54.02 per cent, as well as three super tackles and four high 5s – proving why he was so valued at auction. Before season 5 he changed teams to Haryana Steelers where he had another brilliant display, amassing 39 tackle points throughout the tournament – firmly establishing himself as one of the best defenders in the PKL.
Mohit Chillar’s journey with the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) has been nothing short of remarkable. As he bids adieu to the league, the story of his three-season consecutive shift between teams is remarkable. After 2 successful PKL seasons representing Bengaluru Bulls and UP Yoddha consecutively, for season 6 he moved to Jaipur Pink Panthers, where he scored a total of 31 tackle points. Unfortunately for Tamil Thalaivas fans, he had to move one last time in season 7 back to Tamil Thalaivas but couldn’t help them get out of the bottom spot. Even then, collecting 37 tackle points was enough to prove that ‘Magician Mohit’ still had some magic up his sleeve.
