The 2016 Kabaddi World Cup, which begins on October 7th, will showcase some of India’s greatest Kabaddi talents. The fans will have the chance to see some of the best Kabaddi players in the country play together after having traded blows in the Pro Kabaddi League.
But sadly, there are some players who will not feature in the upcoming tournament. Sportskeeda looks at 5 such players who were not selected for Kabaddi World Cup 2016 despite performing well in Pro Kabaddi Season 4.
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#5 Amit Hooda
The 20-year-old was arguably the best defender in the recently concluded Pro Kabaddi League. With 47 tackles to his name, he finished at the top of the leader board. Thrust into the Jaipur Pink Panthers side, Amit showed the world why he has every chance of being India’s next big thing.
With a hawk like vision, Hooda has the uncanny ability to dive into a tackle before a raider can sense it. He’s also blessed with agility and pace – a potent combination for any defender to have.
The right corner could have easily slotted himself into India’s first seven based on his current form.
#4 Sachin Shingade
Another quality defender who will be absent from this stellar Indian squad is Sachin Shingade. The left corner has catapulted his game to new levels in the last one year.
Playing as a left corner, the defender finished the Pro Kabaddi League with 39 tackles to his name. With 5 super tackles to his name, only three other defenders executed more super tackles than Shingade.
His raw power got the better of numerous raiders this season. While Delhi had a season to forget, he was the one star that shined bright when almost everything went wrong for his side.
#3 Rohit Kumar
The most surprising exclusion was that of Rohit Kumar. His omission raises various questions. Was selection based on form or experience? Because if it was based on form, Rohit should have been the first name on the list.
He scored a massive 93 raid points (fourth in the league) at an average of more than 5 points per match.
Including Rohit, only 3 other raiders managed to hit an average of 5 in the league. On various occasions, he single-handedly guided Bengaluru Bulls to victory and saved his team from embarrassment.
#2 Ravinder Pahal
When the Pro Kabaddi season began this year, Pune’s coach admitted that Pahal’s form was a concern and that he’d replace him if required. But as the season progressed, he made considerable strides and put in consistent performances, in the process helping Pune secure a semi-final berth.
He finished the league with 37 tackle points. The right corner started slow but finished the tournament on a high, producing some impressive tackles. Critics could point out his inconsistency as a concern but Pahal is a risk that coach, Balwan, could have easily afforded to take considering his defensive capabilities.
#1 Rishank Devadiga
U Mumba’s star raider would be gutted after missing out on a spot. He was at his peak last season when he scored a massive 100 raid points in the league. In the recently concluded season, he finished with 70 points. While he wasn’t at his best, he showed glimpses of why U Mumba decided to retain him.
Lack of consistency plagues the man from Maharashtra. But had he secured a place in the Indian squad, he would have definitely not looked out of place. Still only 22, Rishank is still a work in progress. But his aggressive and powerful approach to the game would have been a sight to behold, had he made it to the squad.
