PKL: Looking back at top raiders from each Pro Kabaddi League season

The list comprises experienced players who are veterans in the game.

Once a game played by Indians in every maidan, Kabaddi has become a global phenomenon, mostly attributed to the Pro Kabaddi League. With a tremendous fan base, PKL has attracted millions of viewers since its launch in 2014 and is only a few short of the IPL (Indian Premier League). The league has certainly become a favorite among fans as well.

The league has generated some extraordinary talents who have gone on to become the sport’s biggest stars in addition to giving gifted athletes a large stage on which to display their abilities on a national scale. These players have become fan favorites since they have dominated the charts in every Pro Kabaddi League season. The Raiders with their pyrotechnics have been brilliant and here’s a look at the top Raiders in every season of the league.

Season 1 – Anup Kumar – U Mumba

The inaugural season was a revelation for the sport of Kabaddi as it was the start of a global phenomenon. The season also revealed a superstar and leader par excellence in the form of Anup Kumar. He led U Mumba from the front with 155 Raid Points which includes 10 super 10s. He was the best Raider of the season as came agonizingly close to winning the title. He surely won the hearts of the fans with his composure and calmness.

Season 2 – Kashling Adake – Dabang Delhi KC

Kabaddi is a game of characters as a Raider creates an aura when a man steps onto the mat against seven players looking to pounce on him. One such character is Kashling Adake, the tall lad with his traditional sharp mustache who dominated season 2 of PKL. Playing for Dabang Delhi KC, he amassed 114 Raid points. Although he couldn’t take his team to the knockouts, he was still the Raider with the most points in that season.

Season 3 – Pardeep Narwal – Patna Pirates

Sport is a phenomenon that makes a player’s fan base greater than the actual sport. Season 3 saw the birth of one such phenom as Pardeep Narwal started his domination. It was a side previously led by the great Rakesh Kumar but Pardeep’s Dubki and his effortless way of scoring super 10s made the defenders make errors just his sheer presence. With 114 points, he helped the Patna Pirates win their first PKL title and it was the start of something incredible.

Season 4 – Rahul Chaudhari – Telugu Titans

When you ask a Cricket fan, he would say MS Dhoni is more of a Chennai boy than from Ranchi. Likewise, a Kabaddi fan would relate Rahul Chaudhari to Hyderabad instead of Lucknow. That’s the impact Rahul had in the first four seasons of PKL. Fondly called The Raid Machine, he was pulling crowds and winning games for his franchise. In the fourth edition, he romped up 146 Raid Points. Although he could not get past the semis, he took the game to the nook and corner of the world.

Season 5 – Pardeep Narwal – Patna Pirates

Arguably the greatest player in PKL history, Narwal’s third season with the Patna Pirates saw him lead the league in every raiding statistic and rack up 369 raid points. The season’s high point occurred during the Pirates’ playoff matchup with the Haryana Steelers. Narwal set a record with 34 raid points, including an eight-point raid, as the Pirates easily defeated the Steelers. The Dubki King annihilated the opponents in the playoffs scoring 95 points in four playoff games to complete a hattrick of titles for the Pirates.

Season 6 – Pawan Sehrawat – Bengaluru Bulls

Season six saw the baton being passed on from Pardeep Narwal to Pawan Sehrawat whose spring-like legs were refreshing to see. He won the Best Raider award with 271 points. With an incredible 22 raid points against the Gujarat Fortune Giants defenders in the finals, Pawan stole the show and helped the team win their first-ever championship. The Bengaluru Bulls‘ coach, Randhir Singh, was pleased that his side had finally won the competition following a couple of disappointing seasons.

Season 7 – Pawan Sehrawat – Bengaluru Bulls

Pawan was at his mercurial best in the season seven of the league. He scored a whopping 346 points second only to Pardeep Narwal’s tally of 369 in season five. The way Pawan would turn the games on its head made the league one of the most fascinating seasons to watch for the fans and one of the toughest seasons to play for the players. In a game against the Haryana Steelers, Pawan created history by scoring 39 points, the most by any player in a PKL game.

Season 8 – Pawan Sehrawat – Bengaluru Bulls

It was a personal hattrick for Pawan as he was adjudged the Best Raider for the third consecutive season. Having earned the name of Hi-Flyer, his statistics were also flying high as he completed yet the season with 300 Raid Points, the second in a row. With 18 Super 10s, he was at his consistent best throughout the season for the Bulls. He helped the team qualify for the playoffs in all three seasons during his time as a primary Raider.

Season 9 – Arjun Deshwal – Jaipur Pink Panthers

After every three seasons, we get a new superstar Raider who dominates the league. From Pardeep in Season 3 to Pawan in Season 6, Arjun Deshwal was the new star in Season 9. The man from Services impressed everyone with his aggressive Raiding technique scoring 296 points which includes 17 Super 10s. He not only won the Best Raider award but also helped his team lift the PKL title for the second time in history.

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