PKL: Who is the most successful captain in Pro Kabaddi League history?

Captaincy in a big league like PKL is not an easy task.

The Pro Kabaddi League was first held in 2014, with eight teams competing for the title. With the league rapidly growing, four new franchises joined the PKL from the fifth edition onwards.

In the 12 editions of the Pro Kabaddi League, we have seen many Indian players make headlines with their excellent performances as raiders, defenders, and all-rounders.

Likewise, India’s first-ever Kabaddi league has also unearthed multiple players with leadership qualities, who could go on to lead their respective nations in the near future. On that note, let’s take a look at who is the most successful captain in the history of PKL:

Who is PKL’s most successful captain?

Sunil Kumar is the most successful captain of the PKL, having registered 87 wins across as many editions of the league. His wins as a captain have come from three different franchises: Gujarat Giants, Jaipur Pink Panthers, and his current franchise, U Mumba.

The Indian defender was first named captain by Gujarat Giants for the sixth edition of the Pro Kabaddi League after the franchise decided not to retain Iranian defender Fazel Atrachali. Sunil led the Giants for three seasons between PKL seasons 6 to 8.

He captained Pink Panthers in PKL Season 9 & 10 and guided the franchise to their second title in 2022, before moving to U Mumba for the 11th edition of the Pro Kabaddi League.

Sunil was appointed as U Mumba‘s skipper after a great stint with the Jaipur-based franchise. He led the Mumbai-based franchise in PKL Season 11 & 12.

The 28-year-old player began his PKL career in 2016 with the Patna Pirates. Overall, he has played for four PKL teams across eight editions.

Iran’s Fazel Atrachali is the second player on the list with 76 wins, while former U Mumba skipper Anup Kumar is third with 52 victories to his name. Anup guided U Mumba to their maiden PKL title in the second edition.

The 12th edition of the Pro Kabaddi League concluded with Dabang Delhi being crowned champions under the leadership of raider Ashu Malik.

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