Top five debutant raiders of PKL 10

These young guns impressed everyone with their performance in their debut season.

Kabaddi, originally an Indian game played in every maidan, has gained international attention thanks mostly to the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). The league not only provided outstanding athletes with a vast platform to showcase their abilities nationally but also produced some extraordinary talents who became the biggest stars in the sport.

Some of these players have grown to be fan favorites. With many new Raiders coming into the fore this season, here is a look at the brightest talents from the Raiding department who produced some amazing performances for their respective franchise. Here are the top five Raiders who made their debut in season 10.

Nitin Kumar – Bengal Warriors

The youthful Bengal Warriors raider, Nitin Kumar, proved to be a great asset to his team. The season seven champions were searching for a secondary Raider to support Maninder Singh and the 23-year-old did that effectively to reduce the workload for the main player. Nitin achieved an astounding 169 raid points in just 20 games during his rookie campaign. He even managed eight Super 10s, demonstrating his prowess at raiding in his debut campaign.

Amirmohammad Zafardanesh – U Mumba

When U Mumba reappointed the Iranian coach Gholamreza Mazandarani as the head of their support staff, expectations went sky high ahead of the tenth season. During the Auction, they roped in another Iranian Amirmohammad Zafardanesh, who stormed the league this season. His swiftness and quick thinking deceived the opposition defenders, as the all-rounder scored 141 points in 20 games. He ended up as the side’s leading Raider and with years to come he will be a force to reckon with.

Shivam Patare – Haryana Steelers

Shivam Patare is a left raider who left a lasting mark on the league, and the Haryana Steelers found a treasure in him. Having accumulated 116 points in 23 games, he finished in the top 20 of the list with the most Raid points. Against Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator, Patare outwitted the more seasoned defenders led by Fazel Atrachalli, showcasing his remarkable speed and agility. He was unquestionably one of the season’s top debutants after such performances.

M Sudhakar – Patna Pirates

This season, the Patna Pirates showed a lot of faith in new potential, led by coach Narender Redu. A teenage raider named Sudhakar M was one such talent who flourished under this kind of faith and was instrumental in leading the squad to the semi-finals. Sudhakar gained 103 raid points in just 19 games. A classic example of his temperament was when the Tamil Nadu-born star played Tamil Thalaivas in Chennai. It was he who won the game with a Super 10. He even demonstrated his aptitude as a raider by completing a couple of super raids and two more Super 10s.

Gagan Gowda – UP Yoddhas

One of the favorites at the start of the season, UP Yoddhas never played like they have known for. Realizing the fact that they were going to miss out on a playoff spot, coach Jasveer Singh brought a few new faces onto the mat and Gagan Gowda was one such name. The Right Raider grabbed the chances with both hands as he amassed 92 points in 13 games the second most for Yoddhas this season. He will be one of the players to watch out for in the next season.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Kabaddi on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.