PKL 12: Top five best players of Tamil Thalaivas in Pro Kabaddi 2025

Tamil Thalaivas aim for their first-ever PKL trophy in season 12.

Ahead of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 12, Tamil Thalaivas have shown they mean business. After years of underwhelming performances, the team management is pulling out all the stops to turn the tide.

Tamil Nadu is known as the birthplace of Kabaddi, where the empty grounds of every village will have kids playing Kabaddi. When the team based out of the state was formed in 2017, there were huge expectations, but they haven’t lived up to the expectations as they have failed to qualify for the playoffs in six of the seven seasons they have played.

One of Tamil Thalaivas‘ biggest moves this season came off the mat, with the appointment of Sanjeev Kumar Baliyan as the new head coach. He’s joined by local favourite D Suresh, who takes over as the assistant coach.

Together, the two form one of the most experienced and successful coaching duos in the league, and their impact was felt right away as they built a well-balanced, star-studded squad for the 2025 season.

With renewed intentions, smarter planning, and a fan base hungry for results, Tamil Thalaivas will be one of the teams to watch. As the season gets closer, let’s take a look at the top five players who could be the key to their success this year.

5. Nitesh Kumar

Tamil Thalaivas had high expectations going into Season 11 of the Pro Kabaddi League. But injuries and loss of form plagued their season as they finished ninth in the points table. One bright spot from the season was the unveiling of Nitesh Kumar at the left corner. The youngster has shown immense resolve in big games, tackling the primary raider in the opposition.

The likes of Naveen Kumar, Pawan Sehrawat, and Maninder Singh have fallen prey to him. He finished the previous season with 77 tackle points in 22 games and was crowned the best defender of the season. He topped the High-5 charts last season, and the men in yellow would be expecting a similar performance from the defender.

4. Narender Kandola

Narender was the architect when Tamil Thalaivas made it to the playoffs in season nine. The left raider brought in some fresh air through his youth into the squad which used to have experienced players like Ajay Thakur, Jasvir Singh, Ran Singh at the fag end of their careers.

He stepped up in the absence of Pawan Sehrawat, who got injured in the first 10 minutes of the season. The left raider had a quiet season last year, but the management has retained him. Narender would love to repay the faith, and he will be part of a strong raiding trio who will trouble most defending units on any day.

3. Sagar Rathee

Losing a player to injury is bad, but it got worse as Tamil Thalaivas not only lost their player but also their skipper in Sagar Rathee, in the first game last year. Such has been the impact of Sagar at the right corner, having scored 200 points in the previous three seasons leading up to last year.

The Haryana-born player has gained fitness to be in the squad. But he would want to get his performance to the mark to gain the confidence of the youngsters and the new players to adapt to the Thalaivas’ environment. The tall defender will be eager to plot the downfall of his opposition raiders with his ankle holds.

2. Pawan Sehrawat

Tamil Thalaivas stopped a catastrophe from happening as the Indian skipper, Pawan Sehrawat, almost went unsold in the PKL auctions ahead of season 12. Thalaivas waited till the final moment to bid for their former player and signed him at 59.50 lakhs, which is three times lower than the remuneration he got last year.

Numbers don’t define a player; it’s their character, and Pawan was quick to acknowledge it with a post on his social media stating that he has humbly accepted that the lowering in the price is due to his lack of fitness. He has assured to be at his fittest and produce his best-ever season. Fans say the posts aren’t mere words, and the season promises to be an exciting one, expecting Pawan to dominate his opponents.

1. Arjun Deshwal

If there is one thing that makes a good player great, then it is consistency. No one has been more consistent than Arjun Deshwal in the last four seasons of the Pro Kabaddi League. He has scored 200+ points in each of the last four seasons, and no other player has been able to achieve it for three seasons in the last four years.

The 26-year-old is truly a Raid Machine, and he will be raring to prove a point to his previous franchise, which has released him to the surprise of many. He will renew his partnership with coach Sanjeev Baliyan for the sixth consecutive season across three years. Arjun helped Jaipur win the title after eight years, and with Tamil Thalaivas entering their eighth PKL season, fans will be expecting the trophy to come home.

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