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Naveen Kumar has emerged as a dynamic raider, etching his name in the history books of the Pro Kabaddi League. Born on February 14, 2000, Naveen made history as the first player born in the 2000s to feature in Pro Kabaddi, while representing Dabang Delhi.
His journey into kabaddi began at an early age, guided by his grandfather, a former state-level wrestler. Excelling in his school's U-17 team, Naveen swiftly progressed to the junior nationals, reaching the finals in 2016.
The turning point in Naveen's career came with a gold win in junior nationals, attracting the attention of Dabang Delhi. In the NYP trials, he earned a spot in the team for Pro Kabaddi Season 6 at the age of 16, signing a modest deal of ₹6.60 lakhs. Naveen's true potential shone in his fourth game, where he secured his first Super 10, finishing the season with an impressive 177 points.
Season 7 saw Naveen exceed expectations, finishing with 303 points, the third-highest in PKL. His stellar performance catapulted Dabang Delhi to their first-ever PKL final, despite losing to Bengal Warriors.
Undeterred by the absence of PKL action in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Naveen roared back in December 2021, breaking records against U Mumba to become the fastest player to reach 500 raid points in PKL history in just 47 games.
Naveen's achievements didn't stop there; he earned a remarkable record of 28 successive Super 10s, further solidifying his status as one of PKL's most potent raiders. His incredible journey reached its zenith as he played a pivotal role in Dabang Delhi's triumph in Season 8, earning him the Most Valuable Player Award.
In the last season of the Pro Kabaddi League, Naveen led Dabang Delhi. Riding high on his stellar performance in the preceding season, Naveen guided Delhi to a phenomenal start by clinching victories in their first six matches. His lightning-fast pace and strategic acumen seemed poised to secure Delhi's second consecutive title.
However, the narrative took an unexpected twist when Naveen suffered an injury, forcing him to miss crucial matches. Delhi struggled in his absence, experiencing a significant decline in performance. Despite securing a playoff spot, their dreams of a back-to-back title were shattered as they lost to Bengaluru by a margin of 39 points.
Naveen's absence highlighted his irreplaceable role, as Delhi had previously lost three matches in the group stages of the prior season due to his injuries. Despite the setback, Naveen finished off the season as the third-best raider, amassing an impressive 254 points in 23 matches.
Who is the youngest player in PKL 2023?
- Gagan Gowda (UP Yoddhas): Age - 20
- Vaibhav Balasaheb Kamble (Puneri Paltan): Age - 20
