After five weeks of some breathtaking action, the fourth season of the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) has concluded, but not before giving us some performances that will remain etched in our memories forever. The raiders undoubtedly hogged the limelight once again with their fierce and cunning displays during the PKL4 that witnessed many high-scoring games.
A good raider not only leads from the front, but is also able to crush the morale of the opponent team through tactful destruction. Here are five raiders who demonstrated those qualities in abundance and helped to make the entire season a treat to watch
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5. Rohit Kumar (Bengaluru Bulls)
Rohit Kumar’s inaugural season at the PKL would always be something he would cherish forever. His grand debut propelled the Patna Pirates to their maiden PKL crown, besides fetching him Season 3’s MVP award.
However, he could not emulate that feat after a switch to the Bengaluru Bulls in Season 4, unfortunately, as he did not get the support of someone like Pardeep Narwal that he so enjoyed at Patna previously. With Rohit Baliyan getting injured, the Bulls were bereft of a second raider but that does not take anything away from Rohit, who put up an equally masterful display in PKL4 as well.
With 93 raid points, he ended up in fourth position on the leader board and had a fantastic strike rate of 5.36 successful raids per match. What is most outstanding about the soft-spoken 26-year-old is that he fully exhibited all the qualities that aided his sensational debut despite the minimal assistance that he got from his teammates.
Calm and collected, he never panicked and looked totally unfazed even when the Bulls were tottering many a time. The tremendous equanimity that he showed under pressure made him a deserving captain in the latter stages of the PKL4 and he helped end his team’s six-match losing streak for a sixth-place finish.
4. Jasvir Singh (Jaipur Pink Panthers)
With a fiery pace, the nimble-footed Jasvir Singh was one of the big factors why the 2014 champions Jaipur Pink Panthers were able to erase their Season 3 setback for a runner-up plate this time. A leader par excellence, the Jaipur skipper not only left the crowd awestruck with his dexterity but also ensured that the team remained a balanced, cohesive unit in all their matches.
The 32-year-old’s deadly scorpion kicks fetched him a staggering 13 points twice during PKL, one of which came during the final against the Patna Pirates, even though it was for a losing cause.
And not just raiding, he made some valuable contribution to the backline too whenever required. That was evident in Jaipur’s massive 51-26 defeat of Dabang Delhi at Hyderabad where he made a timely super tackle and also in the all-important semi-final against the Telugu Titans at the same venue.
His prowess is further substantiated by his PKL4 record where he scored 4.57 successful raids per match which puts him in the fifth place.
3. Deepak Niwas Hooda (Puneri Paltan)
If Puneri Paltan managed to repeat their third-place finish of Season 3 in the recently-concluded PKL4, then it is mostly because of this man. In the absence of their injured skipper Manjeet Chillar, the onus fell on the 22-year-old Deepak Niwas Hooda to lead the team and it was remarkable to see how well he rose to the challenge.
His two crushing knocks of 17 came at the right juncture and were instrumental in helping the Pune side maintain their third spot. One came in the orange brigade’s crucial do-or-die tie against Dabang Delhi that almost sealed his team’s place in the last-four stage. The other one saw an unperturbed Hooda cancelling out Rahul Chaudhari’s smashing 18 points in the 3rd/4th place play-off to guide the Paltan to a 40-35 victory over the Titans.
The Rohtak boy ended PKL4 right up there with the very best, trailing only Chaudhari in the number of successful raids with 108 and a dazzling effectiveness of 6.75 per match.
2. Pardeep Narwal (Patna Pirates)
A shy, reticent boy off the mat, Pardeep Narwal is a complete livewire when he gets on to the kabaddi mat. His maturity and the sense to choose the right moment to attack simply belie his tender age of 19.
With Rohit Kumar donning the Bengaluru Bulls jersey this season, it was left to this youngster to lead the Patna Pirates charge and he did it flawlessly. What is remarkable about him is how he never gets flustered under pressure. That is vindicated by the fact that he scored as many as 6 Super 10s this season, one of which was on display in the final against the Jaipur Pink Panthers where Pardeep amassed a whopping 16.
Suffice to say that the teenager has grown into one of Patna’s most reliable players now. His statistics are simply mind-boggling to say the least – with 131 raid points, he finished in the second spot behind Rahul Chaudhari. He effected 100 successful raids at an average of 6.25 per match.
It was, thus, an absolutely just decision when this wonder kid was selected as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of PKL4.
1. Rahul Chaudhari (Telugu Titans)
There’s a vast difference between Pardeep Narwal and Rahul Chaudhari. If Pardeep is a quiet young fellow who refuses to open up much, the loquacious Chaudhari can go on talking endlessly. Where they don’t differ is their supreme ability to attack.
Rahul is perhaps even more relentless with a bit more age and experience than Pardeep. After being inconsistent last season, the Telugu Titans leader came back to form and how! The 23-year-old, who scooped up the ‘Raider of the Tournament’ award for the second time in his PKL career, was the player to watch throughout the season. On multiple occasions, he pulled his team back from the brink and single-handedly carried them to victory. Even against the Puneri Paltan side in the 3rd/4th play-off, the devastating Rahul fetched 18 points for his team even though it went in vain.
His 146 point haul helped him grab the first place on the Raid Points Leaderboard, way ahead of everybody else. He inflicted 110 successful raids at an incredible strike rate of 6.88 per match. Not only that, his heroics saw him become the first player in PKL history to surge past the 500 points barrier.
And to think he was hobbled by a shoulder injury throughout the season makes his effort all the more admirable!
