How Pawan Kumar Sehrawat became the Big Bull of Pro Kabaddi League

The raider amassed an astonishing 360 points for his team in the seventh season of the competition.

Pawan Kumar Sehrawat is no stranger to spotlight. Nor is he a stranger to obscurity. However, his rise to the top is a testament to the Pro Kabaddi League and what it aimed to achieve. He has battled adversity to grow into one of the most feared raiders in the country.

Early seasons

Pawan Kumar Sehrawat’s first step into a Pro Kabaddi League mat was for the Bengaluru Bulls in Season 3. Mainly a substitute, the youngster scored 2 points in the season opener for the Bulls against his hometown team Dabang Delhi. He then scored a team high 7 points in a thrilling 36-26 win over the Jaipur Pink Panthers. However, the season proved to be an underwhelming term for the Bulls. They finished out of the playoffs for the first time in their history despite Sehrawat’s 45 points in 13 appearances.

The next season saw Bengaluru Bulls add the talented Rohit Kumar and Deepak Kumar Dahiya to their ranks. While it meant that the team looked stronger, it also limited the chances for the then 20 year old Sehrawat who only managed 11 points in 10 matches. Bengaluru missed the playoffs yet again.

At the end of the season, Pawan Kumar Sehrawat switched teams. The Delhi-native jumped to the newly-created franchise Gujarat Fortunegiants for Season 5. However, Pawan was only involved from the bench and scored 10 points in 9 matches. He even took part in the final and scored a point, only to see Pardeep Narwal and the Pirates brush aside the Fortunegiants for their third successive title.

Season 6

But 2018 was going to be Pawan Kumar Sehrawat's year. Bengaluru roped in their former raider but this time Pawan wanted to make his stint count. Pawan had a stellar opening to the season when he outraided Indian national player Ajay Thakur and scored 20 points. The Bulls beat the Tamil Thalaivas comfortably to open the season on a positive note.

But Pawan was far from over, he scored 16, 6 and 20 points in his next three matches as he joined forces with Kashiling Adake and Ashish Sangwan to push Bengaluru Bulls as a favourite for the title. He then scored 14 points to beat Pardeep Narwal’s defending champions Patna Pirates to make a resounding statement across the league.

He finished the season with 282 total points which included 13 Super 10s. Pawan led the league in almost all raiding categories, as Bengaluru finished top of Zone B and qualified with ease for the playoffs, the first time since the Manjeet Chhillar era. The knockouts proved to be a breeze for Sehrawat. Alongside Adake and Rohit Kumar, the 23 year old made short work of his former team, the Gujarat Fortunegiants. He scored 13 points in the first qualifier before notching up 22 raid points in the finals, leading the Bulls to their first ever title. For his brilliant performances Pawan Kumar Sehrawat earned MVP honours.

Season 7

With his team considerably ageing around him, Pawan Kumar Sehrawat put the Bulls on his shoulder for the seventh season. He continued his stellar form, registering 360 points as he led all major raiding statistics again. He had 18 Super 10s, of which the most memorable one came on 2 October 2019.

The Hi-Flyer stunned the crowd at Tau Devilal Sports Complex, Panchkula as he made short work of the home team. He scored 39 points as the Bulls beat the Haryana Steelers by 23 points. Pawan broke the record for most points in a match previously held by Pardeep Narwal, who was watching the match from the stands. The win also proved significant to the Bulls as they confirmed their playoff spot for the second year in a row.

The playoffs started bright for the Bulls who got over the UP Yodha with a tough 48-45 victory in which Pawan scored 20 points. However, the first semifinal would prove to be the end of the road for both Pawan and the Bulls as they succumbed 44-38 to the Dabang Delhi. Pawan’s 18 points proved to be just a consolation.

Pawan Kumar Sehrawat has had to prove his place in the league unlike any other. His fine fomr has allowed him to represent India at the international level. The Delhi native has won a gold medal for his country in the South Asian Games held in Nepal.

As PKL season 8 approaches, Pawan knows that he will be the hunted instead of the hunter. But as a man who has started from the bottom, the 24-year-old will relish the challenge and aim to resume his rivalry with Pardeep and the Patna Pirates. No matter what, an enthralling season is set to unfold for the Bengaluru Bulls and their fans.

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