We are on the brink of yet another kabaddi extravaganza, with the Vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 5 auctions slated to take place on the 22nd and 23rd of May as a precedent to the new season which will begin in July later this year. India’s homegrown sport has seen so much of success and limelight in the recent years all of which can be rightly attributed to the glitzy and glamorous Pro Kabaddi League.
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Players that were unknown entities have risen as new heroes and role models, and much like the batsmen in cricket, it is the raiders in kabaddi which attract the most adulation from fans across all spectrums. These are men of steel, who shoulder the responsibility of their team like a one man army against a host of prowling tigers.
So while the raiders will ensure that they keep the scoreboard ticking, the owners will ensure that they keep rolling out the big notes to fetch the best raiders in business at the auctions. Thus, Sportskeeda looks at the best 5 picks in the raiding department:
#5 Sukesh Hegde
Hailing from a small town in Mangalore, Sukesh Hegde is one player who has established himself as one of the elite players in the Pro Kabaddi League over the course of the past three years. In the service of Telugu Titans since Day One, Sukesh combined with Rahul Chaudhari for the southern outfit to form a menacing raiding duo.
He often came to the fore when the rest of the team was not up to the mark or lagged behind in order to enforce a rescue effort. This is pretty evident going by his statistics, with 209 raid points from just 59 matches in the tournament. With his agility and awareness, Sukesh will prove to be a valuable buy for the team that picks him at the auctions come Monday.
#4 Kashiling Adake
He may not have been in his true form when it came to the last season of the PKL but the slump in form may well overturn this time around making Kashiling Adake a lucrative option for the teams. A rampant raider, he follows an attacking brand of kabaddi which can take away the game single-handedly from under the opposition’s nose.
With 380 raid points off 52 matches, Kashi became the first player in the league to complete a century of points in two seasons of the league. The best raider from Season 2 has eleven Super 10s to his name – just a minuscule indication of the threat he can pose to rival defenses.
With abundant skills, including the running hand touch and the jumps, Adake will surely have several eyes on him when he goes under the hammer.
#3 Rishank Devadiga
Thriving under the stalwarts of kabaddi, Anup Kumar and Rakesh Kumar, Rishank Devadiga has been in sublime form on most occasions throughout the course of the Pro Kabaddi League. The young raider has just gone on improving since the inception of the league and is now one of the foremost do-or-die specialists, making him an inevitable part of any team that picks him up at the auctions.
The Mumbai lad has featured in 59 matches so far and amassed a total of 284 points, which stands as a testament to his skills and ability. What makes him yet another valuable asset is the fact that this player performs when under pressure and can combine well with the defense with respect to his brute strength and strong build.
#2 Jasvir Singh
Bringing to the table a plethora of experience as a veteran raider, Jasvir Singh was a part of the recent Kabaddi World Cup winning Indian team. Jasvir’s aggression combined with his skills make him the ideal first-choice raider for any team.
In addition to these, he can well lead the charge from the front with his captaincy as was evident in his stint with the Jaipur Pink Panthers. The numbers also stand as a proof to his mettle, with 277 raid points from 46 matches which include five Super 10’s.
Hailing from Panipat, the 33-year old led the Panthers to a runners-up finish in Season 4 much on the back of his own virtue as well. Akin to his scorpion kick which leaves the defenders surprised, don’t be shocked if this player earns the big bucks on Monday evening.
#1 Ajay Thakur
When the Kabaddi World Cup started, not many expected the lanky Himachali raider to perform given his poor run at the preceding Pro Kabaddi season. However, the tournament saw a re-birth of the player when he propelled India to a memorable win over Iran in the finals and finished as the Best Raider of the tournament.
The frog jump specialist has played 56 matches and gathered 316 points with an average of 5.45 raid points per match. His height, agility, swiftness and speed work in his favour and on many instances leave the rival defenders baffled, an aspect that many owners will keep in mind when they bid for the star raider.
