What will happen if India take on the rest of the world in kabaddi?

Jang Kun Lee (L) and Anup Kumar (R) will lead the two teams outIndia has been, by far, the strongest nation at the international stage in kabaddi. Having won all the trophies on offer, the Indian national kabaddi team has proven that they are the team to beat on the global stage.But, what would happen if the rest of the world teamed up to take on the mighty Indians. Would the scoreline shift in favour of the foreigners or would India still reign supreme?Lets take a look at India vs Rest of the World:

#1 Rest of the World 7

Jang Kun Lee (L) and Fazel Atrachali are sure to give the Indian team a hard time

The World 7 will opt for a unique 2-4-1 formation with 2 out and out defenders and just a solitary player who specialises in raids. To keep the formidable Indians at bay, it would be necessary that the team keeps it tight at the back. Let's see who makes the team for the Rest of the World:

Jang Kun Lee

South Korean import Jang Kun Lee has been one of the shining lights for Bengal Warriors in the league. His exploits in the tournament earned him the captain's armband midway through the second season. Lee has been, without doubt, the most successful foreigner in the tournament and he will captain the Rest of the World 7 for this match.

Tae Deok Eom

Tae Deok Eom has been a breath of fresh air in the world's biggest kabaddi league. An all-rounder by trade, he has shown his quality whenever he has got the chance to represent the Patna Pirates. The South Korean has lifted the crowd with his upbeat attitude and energetic raids whenever called upon.

Meraj Sheykh

Iranian Meraj Sheykh has delivered on both sides of the court. He is a rock at the back while he has also earned the reputation of being a do-or-die raid specialist. The 27-year-old is the second most expensive player in the tournament and has lived up to his billing so far. He has established himself as an ever-present in the Telugu Titans line up, a testament to his ability to lift the team in the absence of other stars.

Hadi Oshtorak

Telugu Titans shelled out 21.1 lakhs to make Hadi Oshtorak the most expensive player in Star Sports Pro Kabaddi history. After an injury-affected campaign in Season 2, the all rounder moved to Patna Pirates to strengthen an already intimidating outfit. Hadi has yet to get going in Pro Kabaddi, but with the quality he possesses, it shouldn't be long before he takes the league by storm.

Seong Ryeol Kim

30-year-old South Korean Seong Ryeol Kim came to Star Sports Pro Kabaddi with plenty of promise. A defender naturally, Kim has got a chance to show his skills in 12 matches and he hasn't disappointed. He plays for the league's bottom-placed team, Dabang Delhi, and it could be argued that he should be given more game time considering the predicament the team find themselves in this season.

Fazel Atrachali

U Mumba's Iranian import Fazel Atrachali was a livewire whenever he took to the mat last season. Despite being just 23 years old, Fazel has shown he is a mature defender, having delivered whenever he was called upon by coach Bhaskaran Edachery. The Iran youngster, who is an able raider when required, is one to watch out for in the future.

Wasim Sajjad

The captain of the Pakistan national team, Wasim Sajjad plays for Telugu Titans in the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi. It is nearly impossible to get out of a tackle initiated by the 32-year-old as he showed with the Patna Pirates last season. Having shown his quality at the international level, as well, Wasim is one of the best defenders on the planet and would be a welcome addition to any team.

#2 India 7

Rahul Chaudhari (L) and Anup Kumar (R) will take over the raiding mantle for the Indian team

A naturally attacking team, India's strength lies in its raiders. The Indians would opt for a more orthodox line-up with 3 defenders, 3 raiders and an all rounder. Due to a plethora of candidates, it is difficult to pick a team of just 7 from the Indians. Let's see who the Indians should be picking to take on the World 7:

Sandeep Narwal

Former Patna Pirates captain Sandeep Narwal relinquished his raiding duties to concentrate on the defensive side of the game. He has reaped the fruits of this sacrifice and now leads the team from the back. The 22-year-old is a threat to every attacker in the league with his strong tackling.

Dharmaraj Cheralathan

The wily old horse, Dharmaraj Cheralathan opted to play another season before calling it quits. The 40-year-old may be one of the oldest players in the tournament, but one does not feel that's the case while watching him play. A rock at the back, Chera brings plenty of experience to the Telugu Titans squad.

Ravinder Pahal

The best defender from last season was awarded to Dabang Delhi captain Ravinder Pahal. Binda, as he is fondly called, is one of the strongest players in the game and has delivered when it mattered. Although, he hasn't had the best season this edition, the 25-year-old brings a certain calmness to his team whenever he plays.

Anup Kumar

Anup Kumar is the captain of the Indian national kabaddi team. Nicknamed as the 'king of bonuses', the 32-year-old led U Mumba to the title last season. The calm, composed raider has been the heartbeat of the defending champions as well as the Indian national team. He will lead the Indian team for this match.

Kashiling Adake

The only raider to cross the 100-point mark in Season 2, Kashi established himself as the best raider of the tournament in the last edition. He holds the record for the most points scored in a single match – 24, a feat he achieved against the Telugu Titans in a nail-biting encounter in Delhi. The man known for his Hanuman jumps has, time and again, got the crowd on their feet.

Rahul Chaudhari

The Telugu Titans captain broke into the Indian team recently after taking the league by storm with his energetic raids. Rahul has, by far, been the best player for the Titans in the tournament and his ability to get points by the dozen, especially towards the end of the games has dug his team out of trouble on numerous occasions.

Manjeet Chhillar

The 29-year-old Indian international was named as the MVP of Season 2 after he guided Bengaluru Bulls to the final. Manjeet Chhillar has never missed out on a semi-final spot in Pro Kabaddi history and will be eager to captain a new-look Puneri Paltan to the knockout stages for the first time in the club's history. He is widely considered to be the best all rounder in the world due to his exploits in Pro Kabaddi and with the Indian national team.

#3 Verdict

The victorious Indian kabaddi team

The Indian national kabaddi team has only lost 1 match in their entire history and that was back in 1993 and it will be very difficult for the Rest of the World 7 to rewrite history as they take on a formidable Indian team.

Despite a strong defence for the World 7, the Indians ideally, have a much stronger side than their opponents. This quality should see India through with relative ease unless they have an unusual off day.

FT: India 35-21 Rest of the World