Indian kabaddi player Siddharth Desai has warned that the upcoming Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) will witness a new version of himself whenever the season starts.  

"Everyone will see a new Siddharth in Season 8," he asserted in an interview with Hindustan Times.

The 29-year-old raider went on to reveal that he has been acquiring and mastering new skills ahead of PKL Season 8. Even though the upcoming season has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and there has been no clarity as to when it will commence, Siddharth has been keeping himself fit.

“I was working out at home and carrying out body-weight training with the children of my village. My brother (Suraj) and I were practising together,�?the Telugu Titans star raider said.

Siddharth also said that he will once again depend on his success mantra of ‘Dream, Believe, Achieve�?and try to protect his mental and physical health in his bid for another solid season with Telugu Titans.

Having made his debut in the PKL Season 6 with U Mumba, Desai had taken the league by storm as he became the first raider to amass 200 points in their first season. He ended Season 6 with 221 points, only behind Pawan Kumar Sehrawat from Bengaluru Bulls and Pardeep Narwal of Patna Pirates.

Following his impressive debut season, Desai became the most expensive player in Season 7 as Telugu Titans secured his services for a staggering �?.45 Crore. The star raider then had another good campaign with the Titans, scoring 200 points.

However, amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it has been a tough two years for kabaddi in India. PKL Season 8 was postponed last year due to rising coronavirus cases in the country and in the interview, Siddharth stressed the need for patience to succeed in kabaddi.

“The journey has been long and tough. I have achieved recognition because of my hard work, patience, and lots of practice. In kabaddi we have to keep evolving and being relevant, from skills to techniques to fitness,�?he said.

Siddharth also spoke about learning from the likes of Rishank Devadiga, Girish Ernak, and Nitin Madane while playing for Maharashtra in the senior nationals. His association with Air India helped him improve as well after he got the opportunity to play with stars like Rahul Chaudhari, Ajay Thakur, and Deepak Niwas Hooda.

Featured photo: Pro Kabaddi

Captain of Indian national kabaddi team, Deepak Niwas Hooda has credited the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) for uplifting the age-old sport in the country, stating that the tournament helped the sport reach a greater audience. 

Hooda, who has previously played for the likes of Telugu Titans and Puneri Paltan in PKL, has been leading Jaipur Pink Panthers since 2018. He said that although international kabaddi tournaments have been in existence for a long time, it is, in fact, PKL, which brought kabaddi closer to the fans.

"The actual growth of Kabaddi and that so many people know us, has happened after the Pro Kabaddi League. Earlier International tournaments like the Asian Games and the World cup used to take place but very few followed the game. People follow what is seen on TV," Deepak, who also is also the skipper of the Jaipur Pink Panthers in the PKL, said on Sports Tiger's show 'Building Bridge'.

Also Read: Pro Kabaddi League: The success no one saw coming

The Pro Kabaddi League 2021 season was indefinitely postponed, but the sport is making a comeback on a national level. Speaking about it, Hooda said, "I feel good, we were waiting for Kabaddi to start. We were tired of just practising, we wanted to play Kabaddi. We were always at home, roaming inside or maybe on the terrace. We were missing the competition."

Hooda made his national team debut in 2016 and is a recipient of the prestigious Arjuna Award. Under his leadership, India won a gold medal at the 2019 South Asian Games. "For the 2019 South Asian Games, trials were on for team selection when it was decided that I will be the captain. Initially, for a player, just getting the Indian jersey is like a dream come true moment. Then getting medals in top tournaments like World Cup, Asian Games, when the national anthem plays after winning a gold medal, it is a very emotional moment. After that, being made the captain of the national team is a matter of great pride for me as well as for any player."

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @DeepakHooda5555

We covered the highest scorers of the first six teams in alphabetical order earlier. Here are the leaders for the remaining six teams.

Patna Pirates �?Pardeep Narwal

Who else but the incomparable Pardeep Narwal leads the way in points scored for the Patna Pirates. The raider is the only player to score over 1000 points for a single team in the Pro Kabaddi league. Pardeep currently has 1160 points in 102 matches for the Patna Pirates. Pardeep has won two MVP awards, two Best Raider awards and three PKL titles with the Pirates.

Puneri Paltan �?Deepak Niwas Hooda

Before joining the Jaipur Pink Panthers in Season 6, Deepak Niwas Hooda spent three seasons with the Puneri Paltan and was the franchise’s marquee star throughout his run with them. Hooda played 61 matches for the Paltan and scored 392 points in 61 matches. The all-rounder is the only player to be leading point-scorer for two different franchises in PKL.

Tamil Thalaivas �?Ajay Thakur

Tamil Thalaivas have been the whipping boys in PKL since their entry into the league in Season 5, but one man who cannot be blamed for their terrible run is skipper Ajay Thakur. The revered raider has scored 484 points in 57 matches for the Thalaivas at an average of 8.49. Rahul Chaudhari, who has spent just one season with the franchise, is the team’s second-highest point scorer with 138. Speaking of Chaudhari..

Telugu Titans �?Rahul Chaudhari

By far the most iconic figure in Telugu Titans�?history, Rahul Chaudhari scored 876 points in 102 matches for the franchise in six seasons. Rahul couldn’t lead the Titans to a PKL title, but his personal stats are remarkable. His tally is the second-most by a player for a single team.

U Mumba �?Anup Kumar

Despite playing just five seasons for the team, the legendary Anup Kumar is still the leading point scorer for U Mumba. Anup scored 546 points in 80 matches for U Mumba and led them to three straight finals from Season 1-3 and winning the title with the team in Season 2. Anup was named the MVP of the maiden PKL campaign.

U.P. Yoddha �?Rishank Devadiga

One of PKL’s finest, Rishank Devadiga is the leading point-scorer for U.P. Yoddha with 351 points in 62 matches for the team. Devadiga was the team’s marquee signing ahead of their debut campaign in Season 5 and has been with the team since.

Feature image courtesy: ProKabaddi.com

Due to the league’s auction rules, it is an incredibly rare sight to see a player in the Pro Kabaddi league spend multiple seasons with the same team.

A handful of top players have, however, managed to stay with the same side for a number of years and build their status as not just incredible kabaddi players but also leave a legacy at their team.

Below, we take a look at the players who lead franchises in points scored, starting with the first six teams in alphabetical order.

Bengal Warriors �?Maninder Singh

Current skipper Maninder Singh led the way for the Bengal Warriors with 603 points in just 65 matches, a tremendous average of 9.27 points. Interestingly, Maninder only took over from previous leader Jang Kun Lee in Season 7. The Korean, who spent six seasons with the franchise, scored 411 points in his time with the team.

Bengaluru Bulls �?Pawan Sehrawat

With 673 points, Season 6 MVP and the reigning Best Raider Pawan Sehrawat is the Bengaluru Bulls�?all-time leading scorer. Off those 673, Sehrawat has scored 617 in the last two campaigns with the other 55 coming in his first stint with the team in Season 3 and 4.

Dabang Delhi K.C. �?Naveen Kumar

Reigning PKL MVP Naveen Kumar is Dabang Delhi K.C.’s all-time leading scorer with 480 points. The young sensation has played just 45 matches for the team and scored his points at an incredible average of 10.66. Previously, Kashiling Adake was the team’s leading scorer with 406 points.

Gujarat Fortunegiants �?Sachin Tanwar

Raider Sachin Tanwar has been with Gujarat Fortunegiants since their debut and is their all-time leading scorer with 462 points in 63 matches. Tanwar scored 159 points in his debut campaign in Season 5 and was named the Best Debutant of the season.

Haryana Steelers �?Vikash Kandola

Vikash Kandola has risen from a young and promising raider to one of the best in the PKL. Kandola scored 195 points in Season 7, taking his tally to 430 points in 51 matches for the Steelers. The raider is well clear of next best Prashant Kumar Rai, who has scored 171 for the side.

Jaipur Pink Panthers �?Deepak Niwas Hooda and Jasvir Singh

The third-highest scorer in the history of the PKL Deepak Niwas Hooda is Jaipur Pink Panthers�?all-time leading scorer with 366 points, alongside former player Jasvir, who spent five seasons with the franchise. Hooda, however, is the team’s most successful raider with 342 points, four more than Jasvir who scored 338 points.

Feature images courtesy: ProKabaddi.com

The Indian Men’s kabaddi team cruised into the final of the 2019 South Asian Games by humbling Nepal 62-26 in their final game of the preliminary stage. The win means India are unbeaten in the tournament, having registered four victories on the bounce.

The triumphant Indian side ended the match with a 36-point winning margin and recorded their biggest victory in this edition till date.

Going into the final as favourites, India will face Sri Lanka on Monday and are tipped to bring back yet another gold medal. 

Read | South Asian Games 2019: Indian Men’s Kabaddi team win big against Pakistan

The captain of the ship, Deepak Niwas Hooda along with ruthless raiders Pardeep Narwal and ‘Hi-Flyer�? Pawan Sehrawat took charge upfront, garnering points after points and managed to inflict two All-Outs in the first half itself. The corners were covered by Nitesh Kumar and Vishal Bhardwaj while Sunil Kumar and Parvesh Bhainswal were deployed as covers.

The hosts were cornered in their raids and their only saving grace throughout the match came in form of Super Tackles as Indian defender, Vishal Bharadwaj was on the alert and actively pursued his defensive duties to thwart the raiding abilities of the Nepali raiders.

Group stage ke saare matches jeetke taiyaar hai #SouthAsianGames2019 ke final ke liye #YoddhaHum #SaansRokSeenaThok #GMR pic.twitter.com/zVsH3hz9vP

�?U.P. YODDHA (@UpYoddha) December 8, 2019

 

The final punch was delivered by the Indian team in the second half as they extended their lead of 19 points to a 36-point margin as the match ended in the favour of the defending champions.

India have qualified for the finals in every edition of the South Asian Games, and given their hefty victories over their neighbouring countries, it will take something out of the extra-ordinary for the Lankan lions to roar back and upset the Indian contingent.

 

Read | South Asian Games 2019: Indian men’s Kabaddi team beat Sri Lanka in opener

Feature image courtesy: Twitter/ @ProKabaddi

The Indian Kabaddi team entered the final of the South Asian Games 2019 in Nepal after a hefty win over a struggling Bangladesh side. The team, led by Deepak Niwas Hooda gave no chance to their neighbours and ended the game with a 44-19 scoreline in their favour.

This win re-confirmed India’s growing dominance in the sport of kabaddi as they now stand on the cusp of lifting another gold medal at the esteemed competition.  

India went on the mat with five raiders and just two defenders, completely glorifying their attacking prowess. Patna Pirates�?Pardeep Narwal was on a roll as he bagged a Super Raid in the first raid of the match itself.

Read | Standard style and circle style- the two variants of Kabaddi

Vikash Kandola and Surender Nada played an equally important role by gaining valuable points for the team while Naveen Kumar and Pawan Sehrawat’s alertness on the mat proved useful for the Indian team.

Defensive duties were shared between Amit Hooda and Surender who ensured that corners were covered and paved no way for the Bangladeshi raiders to collect points. The first half saw two All-Outs which gave the Indian contingent a substantial lead of 20 points going into the second half.   

3⃣rd consecutive win for the Indian Men's Kabaddi team and they are sitting on the of the table at the #SouthAsianGames2019 #PirateHamla #SAG2019 pic.twitter.com/JAygVBP5ho

�?Patna Pirates (@PatnaPirates) December 7, 2019

In the second half, Bangladesh tried to rediscover their lost groove but were held by the incessant raids led by Pardeep and Naveen. On the day, Bangladeshi raiders fell short and proved too fragile for the Indian defenders as despite three super tackles by Bangladesh defenders, their raiders were unable to steer through.

The match ended with India taking a mammoth 25-point lead as the scoresheet read 44-19.

India have now ensured a place in the final after also beating Sri Lanka and Pakistan in previous games.

Sub-continent rivals Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan are still hovering around and still stand a chance to qualify for the final on December 9, with one group-stage game remaining for each team.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter/ @UpYoddha

The Indian Kabaddi men's team are on cloud nine after registering an emphatic victory over their arch nemesis Pakistan in the South Asian Games in Nepal. The team led by the charismatic Deepak Niwas Hooda were resilient and displayed immense structure while defending and looked ruthless in their raiding pursuits.

The Indian team went in with an offensive approach with raiding duties taken care by Pawan Sehrawat and Naveen Kumar while Nitesh Kumar and Vishal Bharadwaj took care of the defence along with the invaluable help of Sunil Kumar and Parvesh Bhainswal.

India were in complete control throughout the match as they thwarted all the raiding advances made by the sublime raiders of Pakistan, notably Mudassir Shah and Nadim Warraich. However, Pakistan's defence was also unable to keep their neighbours at bay as Pawan Sehrawat’s agility proved too much of a burden for their leaky defence. At the end of the first half, Pakistan were trailing 9-29.

The incessant raids from the Indian contingent continued in the second half as well with Pawan leading the charge and scoring quickly and more freely. Although, Pakistan displayed some signs of a coming back into the game but the dying moments of the game garnered favourable results for India with the opponents failing to score even a solo point.

The full-time score was 49-22 and India asserted their dominance in style by declaring their intent of winning the gold medal once again.

India beat Pakistan in yet another game, the Indian Men's Kabaddi team beat them convincingly in #SouthAsianGames2019 #PirateHamla #ProKabbadi #INDvPAK #INDvsPAK #Kabaddi pic.twitter.com/mqUgsqSQBN

�?Patna Pirates (@PatnaPirates) December 6, 2019

In the other encounter, Nepal fell apart against a charged-up Sri Lankan side which saw the hosts enduring a 12-point margin difference as the match ended 22-34 in favour of the island nation. Due to their third consecutive loss, Nepal are now out of the race for the knockout spots.

Women’s team in the final

The Indian Women’s Kabaddi team got the better of hosts Nepal and eased through the game comfortably. The preliminary stages of Women’s Kabaddi have finally concluded with India and Nepal having qualified for the gold medal match to be played on December 9. This will be a repeat of the match concluded today between the two nations where Nepal will be eyeing for a revenge to even the scores in the final.

Ritu Negi and Harvinder Kaur continues to be India’s biggest strength with the raiding responsibilities lying on the shoulders of Pushpa and Sakshi Kumari.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter/ @ProKabaddi

The Indian Men’s Kabaddi team got off to a winning start at the ongoing South Asian Games 2019, thrashing Sri Lanka 49-16.

The Day 2 opener, played at the APF Hall Chowk, Kathmandu, saw defending champions, India, dominating right from the beginning. Sri Lanka, on their part, came on the back of an optimistic win over Pakistan, but were left stranded, as they failed to perceive India’s attacking approach.

Captain Deepak Niwas Hooda lead his team from the front and his men hardly had to put any effort in cruising into a comfortable lead. By the stroke of half-time, the likes of Naveen Kumar and Pawan Sehrawat guided India to an impressive 25-9 lead.

The South Asian Games offers the Indian contingent a great opportunity of testing their bench strength, and the substitutes duly delivered what was expected. Nitesh Kumar and Darshan Kadian were brought in for the second period and the latter’s quick-witted style added further misery to Sri Lanka’s fate, and gave India some important bonus points.

India soon established a 26-point lead and there was no coming back for the Lankans from that point on. Naveen Kumar came out on top in the final raid as India sealed the win in style.

The team is now set to lock horns with Pakistan in the evening session of Day 3 of the South Asian Games on Friday.

Women’s team rise to the occasion

Day 1 of the South Asian Games saw the Indian women’s team also displaying their quality their Sri Lankan counterparts all ends up. Led by their captain, Priyanka the team registered a thumping 53-14 win in the opener.

Such was India’s dominance on the day that they cruised to an 18-point lead in the beginning. The scorecard read 25-7 by half-time, and it remained a one-sided affair throughout.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @KabaddibySW

Over the years, Pro Kabaddi has seen extraordinary raiders pull off incredible raids, going on to single-handedly win matches for their team. Speed, athletism, strength and quick thinking are the essentials of any player who want to make the raiding department their own.

From swift toe touches to powerful frog jumps to crafty hand touches, a raider has to have every arsenal in his bag to get the better of the opponent. In such scenarios, overcoming the 10-point barrier in a single match is quite an impossible task, but some of the most flamboyant raiders in the PKL circuit makes it look like a mere formality.

Here we take a look at the top five players who have garnered the most number of Super 10’s in PKL history ahead of season seven.

Pardeep Narwal (44)

Patna Pirates crown jewel, Pardeep Narwal has risen to greatness courtesy of his unique ability to outsmart opposition defences. He became the first player in league history to acquire 1000 raid points in the ongoing seventh season adding another feather to his cap. Over his illustrious career in PKL, Pardeep has etched his name in history books. With his signature ‘Dubki�? he has successfully completed 44 Super 10s in a mere 85 before entering season seven.

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The Record-Breaker Pardeep Narwal adds another feather in his - becoming the first player to score 1000 points in #VIVOProKabaddi!

Keep watching the #CHEvPAT action, LIVE on Star Sports and Hotstar. #IsseToughKuchNahi pic.twitter.com/zzTz572Utw

�?ProKabaddi (@ProKabaddi) September 9, 2019

However, his most notable accomplishment came back in the fifth season when he scored 369 raid points and was almost 150 points clear of the second most successful raider of the season.  

Rahul Chaudhari (36)

After a long and successful stint with Telugu Titans, Rahul Chaudhari turned his boat to the shores of Tamil Thalaivas for the seventh season. He is one of the swiftest raiders in the game leading the charge with his ‘running hand touch�?move, leaving no time for the opponent player to react.

The ‘Raid Machine�?completed eight Super 10s in his fifth season equalling his record from the first season in PKL. Till the start of the seventh season, Rahul had 36 Super 10s to his name with that number expected to significantly improve in the ongoing season.

Ajay Thakur (28)

A true leader, Ajay Thakur was the driving force in India’s triumph at the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup. Playing for the Tamil Thalaivas for a third consecutive season, Ajay is known for his ‘Frog Jump�?leaving the defenders in their trail. With his height playing a significant role in his success over the years, the 6ft 1inch also scored a Super 10 in the final of the 2016 World Cup.

Another testament to the legend this Thalaiva is!

Congratulations to Ajay Thakur on being conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award. pic.twitter.com/ReNmr5ELBc

�?ProKabaddi (@ProKabaddi) August 29, 2019

With 28 PKL Super 10s to his name, Ajay Thakur is going toe-to-toe with some of the best in the sport. 

Deepak Niwas Hooda (24)

Deepak Niwas Hooda is one of the most versatile all-rounders in the game presently. His most successful campaign was season six where he displayed immense promise as he racked up 208 points to his name.

Deepak has played a pivotal role in saving his teams from tricky situations over the past, with his pace and sturdy defensive abilities being his shield. Till season six, Deepak had 24 Super 10s to his name alongside four High 5s - a remarkable feat.

Maninder Singh (23)

The witty and calculative raider from Bengal Warriors, Maninder Singh has registered 23 Super 10s in only 59 PKL appearances, ahead of season seven. He played an instrumental role in the inaugural season of the league when he took Jaipur Pink Panthers to glory.

Earning 206 raid points for Bengal in season six, Maninder has earned the trust of his coaches and the team owners, the reason he has been made the captain the ongoing season. His role in India’s victory at the Asian Kabaddi Championship in 2017 was also nothing short of exemplary. 

Feature image courtesy: Star Sports & PKL

Just as in football, the forwards are entrusted to score goals, similarly, in Kabaddi, the raiders fight hard to garner points for their respective teams and lead them to victory. In the past six seasons, the raiders have come up with interesting moves to get the better of their opponents.

Ranging from toe-touch to back-kick to ‘dubki�?to scorpions kick, the raiders have been quick and agile over anything else. Here we take a look at the raiders who have garnered the maximum raid points over the years ahead of Pro Kabaddi 2019.

Pardeep Narwal (858 raid points)

Belonging from the state of Haryana, the ‘Dubki King�?made his debut with Bengaluru Bulls before going on to join the Patna Pirates in the third season, where he cemented his place in their frontline for the next five years. Pardeep has scored a humongous total of 865 raid points from just 85 matches in his PKL career.

He was adjudged the league’s ‘Most Valuable Player�?in two consecutive seasons (season four and five). Alongside all this, the raider also holds the record for the most points scored in a single season (369), the highest points in a single game (34) and the most points in a single raid (8). He is one of the most consistent performers in PKL who is growing stronger with every passing day.

Rahul Chaudhari (825 raid points)

The ‘Poster Boy�?of Indian Kabaddi has deservedly earned the title of the ‘Raid Machine�? A part of the Telugu Titans setup since its inception, it’s the first time that he will turn up for another team in PKL - Tamil Thalaivas.

A top-notch raider, he possesses a unique knack of attacking from both sides �?right and left, which adds further dimensional to his game. In 100 PKL matches, Chaudhari has scored 825 raid points so far and is giving Pardeep a tough competition in clinching the top spot.

Deepak Niwas Hooda (710 raid points)

The Jaipur Pink Panthers�?charismatic leader has already tasted huge success at the international level when he lifted the Kabaddi World Cup back in 2016. His story in PKL, however, is not that different.

Hooda started his PKL career with Telegu Titans in 2014, then shifted to Puneri Paltans in 2016 before joining the Jaipur bandwagon from season six. In this season, he became the He was the most successful all-rounder as well with 208 points to his name. With his athletic build, Hooda’s ability to snatch crucial points for his team never goes in vain, especially during do-or-die raids. He has garnered a total of 785 points from 103 PKL matches.

Ajay Thakur (732 raid points)

The Indian national Kabaddi team captain remains one of the most effective raiders in the competition. And his ‘never-say-die�?attitude has given us some memorable comebacks over the years. His signature frog jump is his most lethal weapon and a defender’s nightmare.

Having played for Bengaluru Bulls and Puneri Paltan before, Thakur was the captain of Tamil Thalaivas since its inception in 2017. In a total of 102 matches played so far in PKL till season six, Thakur has scored 732 raid points that includes 21 super raids and 28 Super 10s.

Rohit Kumar (526 raid points)

The Bengaluru Bulls captain has gradually become an epitome of inspiration for his teammates with his performance on the mat and his leadership qualities in crunch situations. A great raider, his ability to make quick decisions has saved Bengaluru on multiple occasions in the past.

He began his PKL career as a part of the Patna Pirates unit, before becoming a part of the Bulls whom he led to their first-ever PKL title in 2018. In 72 matches over the seasons, Rohit has 526 raid points to his name. He is also the first player ever to score 30 points in a PKL match, a feat he achieved in season five.

Feature image courtesy: Star Sports & PKL