Rahul Chaudhari returns as UP announce squad for 71st Senior National Men's Kabaddi Championship

Rahul Chaudhari will be eyeing to clinch the title.

Rahul Chaudhari has been appointed as the skipper of the Uttar Pradesh team for the 71st Senior National Men’s Kabaddi Championship which is set to be hosted by Odisha from Feb 20 to 23 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack. The Poster boy of Indian Kabaddi will look to make a statement.

Rahul Chaudhari went unsold in the season 11 auctions of the Pro Kabaddi League after he surprised everyone by announcing his retirement from the league. Many thought it was the end of the Star Raider on the mat as he was left out of the UP squad for the 38th National Games that happened last month.

Rahul’s form has been on a dip in the last few years. Having spent six wonderful seasons with Telugu Titans, he moved to Tamil Thalaivas and had a decent PKL seven. But he was released by the men in yellow and then went on to play for Puneri Paltan in season eight. He was used rarely by the Paltan featuring only in seven games, scoring 13 points.

Also Read: Indian Railways crowned champions of 71st Senior National Women’s Kabaddi Championship

The ‘Poster Boy’ was then recruited by Jaipur Pink Panthers for season nine. He played the perfect support cast to Arjun Deshwal helping the Pink Panthers lift the PKL trophy for the second time. It was a well-deserved maiden trophy for Rahul Chaudhari who took the league into every part of the country with his style of play.

He was the player to achieve many records in PKL, becoming the first player to score 500, 700 and 800 raid points. He stayed with Jaipur for another year and not only passed on the baton of creating records to his teammate Arjun Deshwal but also his title of Raid Machine.

Ironically, it is Arjun Deshwal who will be alongside Rahul in his bid to win the title for the Uttar Pradesh team at the Senior Kabaddi Nationals. The UP squad boasts of Vinay Tevathia who will strengthen their Raiding capabilities. Sahul Kumar and Ashu Singh will lead the defence unit. UP team won the National Games last month and will look to continue the momentum and lift the title.

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