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Rishank Devadiga is the go to person when it comes to do-or-die raids. His tenure in the Pro Kabaddi League has allowed him to grow as a player. When the UP Yoddhas crushed the Jaipur Pink Panthers with a 53-32 score, Devadiga was the mastermind. He notched up 28 raid points in the match. With this, Devadiga's name was emblazoned on the history books, as the player with the highest number of raid points in a single match. It was the first time in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League that this has happened. But what do we know about Devadiga? Let us show you.
10. His First Team was U Mumba
Devadiga joined U Mumba back in 2014 and was in their ranks until 2017. While with the team, he bagged 2 silvers and a gold with them, he has played 59 matches and amassed a total of 320 points. Out of which, he has 284 raid points and 36 tackle points.
9. Personal Life
He was born on 3rd February 1992 in Santacruz, Mumbai. He currently lives in the Gangolli village in Karnataka, but he spent his childhood in Mumbai. He lost his father at a young age and lives with his mother and sister. His mother works in a beauty parlour and was able to give Rishank and his sister a proper education. His early schooling was in St. Anthony's High School. He is a commerce graduate from Chetana Hazarimal Somani college of Commerce and Economics. He also represents BPCL domestically.
8. Kabaddi Roots
When he was around 6-7 years old, he began to play kabaddi. It was at that time that he knew that he was stronger than his peers. That was what prompted him to take up kabaddi as a sport. His mother's only concern about him playing kabaddi was him contracting an injury and having the game interfere with his academics. But Rishank was able to juggle both his passion and his academics efficiently. His commerce degree and his achievements in the world of kabaddi are proof of that.
7. Early Struggles
Devadiga's family wasn't particularly well off and as a result, he was forced to end his studies early. To make ends meet, he took up a job as a waiter at the Leela Hotel. During his free time, he was able to pursue his dream of being a kabaddi player.
6. First Break
Soon he got selected in the Mumbai district kabaddi team. He got his first break with Dena Bank. In his very first tournament, he was bestowed the honour of the best player award. That was when he realized that he had to leave his job if he wanted to be a professional kabaddi player. Before making his decision, he consulted his mother, who told him to do what he wanted but to think before making his decision. So he opted to take up kabaddi as a profession.
5. His Journey
Besides playing for Dena Bank, he has also played for Bharat Petroleum and the Maharashtra team. It was only after his stints with those teams did he get selected for the Pro Kabaddi League with U Mumba for 5 lakhs.
4. National Call Up
In 2015, his stellar performance was enough to attract attention from the Indian National Kabaddi team. He is also the youngest PKL player at just 25. Through his loyalty, diligence and hard work, he was able to rise up the ranks and make a name for himself on the Kabaddi circuit.
3. Quite the Pay Rise
When newcomers UP Yoddha were scouting for players, their gaze was immediately drawn to Rishank Devadiga. They won the bidding war and bagged the 25-year old for a huge sum of 45.50 lakhs. It was a huge step up from when U Mumba bought him for 5 lakhs. Devadiga soon set about proving that he was worth every rupee, as seen in the next slide.
2. How Many Points?
In yesterday's clash with the Jaipur Pink Panthers, he amassed 28 individual raid points help UP Yoddha down the Panthers. With his efforts, UP Yoddhas took a huge step towards securing qualification for the playoffs of the Pro Kabaddi League Season 5 in the last match of the Jaipur leg. His performance was also enough for the Yoddhas to name him captain of the squad.
1. Forging Ties
Devadiga, Anup Kumar and Rakesh Kumar, together, formed the backbone of U Mumba team. Rishank is one of the top raiders in the game and has earned plaudits for delivering exceptional performances one after the other. The U Mumba 'Holy Trinity' bagged 100s of points together and forged an unbreakable bond. If there ever was a Kabaddi dream team, these 3 would definitely feature in it.
