“Jumping and more jumping” is how blockers spend their time on the court. The first line of defence, towering over the net with their hands held high and persistence being their Holy Grail, great blockers can take the spirits right out of the opposing team.

Let’s have a look at the top blockers from RuPay Prime Volleyball League Season 1.

#5 Ashwal Rai - Kolkata Thunderbolts A mandatory inclusion to any Top 5 list, Ashwal Rai shut the lights out in the inaugural RuPay Prime Volleyball League season. Captain of the winning team, he stepped up massively for Kolkata Thunderbolts in a spectacular campaign racking up 12 block points with a 41.9% block success rate.

#4 Karthik A - Kochi Blue Spikers Despite Kochi Blue Spikers not having the best outing in the inaugural season, it was a season filled with excellence for Karthik A. Rising up time and again with a never say die attitude, Karthik blocked 13 attacks with a block success rate of 46.3%.

#3 Akhin GS - Chennai Blitz Towering at 6'8.5'', Akhin GS roared fearlessly in the face of every attack, successfully stopping 14 of them at a 44.6% block success rate.

#2 Manoj LM - Ahmedabad Defenders Persistence and patience are two of the most essential qualities in a blocker and Ahmedabad's Manoj LM possessed them in abundance. With 15 blocks at a 46% success rate, he cemented himself firmly at the 2nd spot.

#1 John Joseph EJ - Hyderabad Black Hawks The unbreakable iron wall, packed with grit, determination and focus, Hyderabad Black Hawks’ John Joseph was a nightmare to deal with for any attacker. Rising up to meet every attack and reading the setter with scary accuracy, John showcased his intuition and understanding of the game. With 17 blocks to his name at a 40% success rate, it comes as no surprise that he took home the mantle of the blocker of the season.