Raiders are to Kabaddi what batsmen are to cricket. They are those nimble players who are supposed to cross the baulk line and invade the opposition camp and come back formidable. It is raiders who constantly chant “kabaddi kabaddi” while on the go – something that has become synonymous with the game at large.
The last four seasons of the Pro Kabaddi league have been witness to some really unique raiding tactics, keeping the audience engaged. Before the next season kick starts, here’s a look at the best raiders to watch out for:
1. Deepak Hooda, Puneri Paltan
Deepak Hooda is one of the best all-rounders in the league. He has performed exceptionally well in all 4 seasons and has scored 391 total points collectively in all 4 seasons. His 342 raid points in the PKL are the fourth-most. Having represented Pune in PKL 3 and PKL 4, Hooda has been an important cog in their team’s dynamics.
Hooda, a left raider, excels in the running hand touch. His explosive speed and agility help him to turn on a sixpence taking oncoming defenders by surprise, thereby earning him easy raid points.
In defence, Deepak is a prowler who waits for the opportune moment to pounce. Using the body hold and the ankle hold to his advantage, Deepak has been the orchestrator for many Puneri Paltan wins for the across the last two seasons. It’s no coincidence that since Hooda has represented Pune, their fortunes have swung around, managing 3rd place in PKLs 3 and 4, a huge improvement over their wooden spoons in PKLs 1 & 2.
2. Ajay Thakur, Tamil Thalaivas
The lanky right raider from Himachal has been one of the biggest stars of the Pro Kabaddi League. A meticulous raider, he relies on sudden bursts of pace and his reach to accrue hand touches. He is agile for a person of his size and is an excellent escape artist which makes him one of the more dependable raiders in the Pro Kabaddi League. His pedigree in pressure situations is second to none, evident by his 92 raid points in Do-or-Die raids, the highest in PKL.
Ajay Thakur is only one of 5 players to score more than 300 raid points in PKL. His destructive impact can be gauged by his tally of 15 Super Raids, which is the 2nd highest in the PKL.
Ajay was rampant during the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup, where he was the leading raider with 64 raid points, and played a huge role in India’s win in the final against a dangerous Iranian side.
3. Anup Kumar, U Mumba
Anup Kumar has been the lynchpin of the U Mumba side since its inception, bringing his experience and raiding skills to the fore. ‘Captain Cool’ as he is aptly labelled, has evolved through the 4 seasons of the Pro Kabaddi League. Scoring 155 raid points in season 1 (most in PKL season 1), he adapted brilliantly and utilised empty raids as an extremely effective tempo-setter in seasons 2 & 3.
Anup’s nous is further exemplified by his extremely low failure rate – just 11.96% in PKL 3, nearly half that of the tournament average of 21.89%. Season 3 saw a more subdued Anup Kumar performing in crunch situations to lead Mumbai to their third straight Finals.
A right raider, Anup specialises in toe-touches and bonus points. However, he added the running hand touch to his repertoire, which has enabled him to tactically stay ahead of defenders.
4. Rahul Chaudhari, Telugu Titans
Rahul Chaudhari is one of the household names of the Pro Kabaddi League. The 24-year-old from Uttar Pradesh made a name for himself in the very first season of the Pro Kabaddi, where he scored 151 raid points and was awarded the best raider of the tournament. He never looked back after that and also ended up as a leading raid point scorer in PKL 4, with 146 raid points winning the best raider award for a record 2nd time.
He has the unique ability to raid from the both sides of the court, courtesy his lightning fast speed. He is equally adept with both his hands. Despite playing the majority of the PKL 4 with an injured right shoulder, he still ended up as the best raider of PKL 4.
He attacks opposition defenders and gets most of his points through his signature running hand touch. His diving escapes have been remarkable throughout the PKL.
5. Jasvir Singh, Jaipur Pink Panthers
The wily left raider likes to play the game in the mind as well as on the mat. The smiling assassin always has a grin on his face as if he is taunting his opponent to attack him. Jasvir is the master of the hand touch and an escape artist extraordinaire. He is one of the very few players to use the back kick to good effect. In PKL 2, Jasvir almost took Jaipur to the final 4 for the second consecutive time (narrowly missing out by 3 points).
In the 3rd season, he missed 10 matches through injury and could aggregate just 25 raid points. However, he managed to lead his team to the final of PKL last season by scoring 82 raid points at an average of 5.86 raid points per match. He will look to continue from where he left off in season 4, and take Jaipur Pink Panthers to the greater heights in this new look league with 12 teams.
(We all love to express ourselves, but how often do we do it in our mother tongue? Here's your chance! This Independence Day, khul ke bol with BOL – Love your Bhasha. Sing, write, perform, spew poetry – whatever you like – in your mother tongue. Send us your BOL at bol@thequint.com or WhatsApp it to 9910181818.)