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For three years now, the Pro Kabaddi League has given rise to a galaxy of stars who have gone on to represent various franchises through the five seasons. When the first season was announced in 2014, there was a sense of anticipation in the air.
The tournament drew a lot of attention toward the sport and finally talented players from all across the globe were now being recognised. Not only did the players get attention, it gave hope to the budding talents in the villages of India where the young prospects hone their skills.
Over time, there have been some fabulous raiders who stole the limelight through the performances that they have put in throughout matches. Rahul Chaudhari has been the poster boy of the Telugu Titans, while a calm and influential Anup Kumar has led U-Mumba to the title amongst the huge list.
In light of the upcoming season, we try to pick ten top raiders who have made a major mark in the Pro Kabaddi League so far.
#10 Nitin Tomar
The talented raider made headlines recently when he broke the record for emerging as the costliest buy in PKL history, bought for 93 lakhs by U.P Yoddha, who went all-out to secure the services of the Navyman.
Tomar first shot into limelight when he got 77 raid points under his belt in season 3 while playing for the Bengal Warriors which was enough to earn him a spot in the Indian National team for the World Cup in 2016.
In season 5, Tomar will be representing the Yoddha and will hope to repay the faith entrusted to him by the team.
#9 Jasvir Singh
Jasvir Singh's canny ability to judge the game and dictate the pace has been one of the biggest success mantras for the Jaipur Pink Panthers.
Jasvir is a veteran when it comes to the game of Kabaddi and has won numerous accolades for having represented various teams throughout his career. His nonchalant approach towards the game has been hailed by many while his signature 'Scorpion Kick' has often left viewers in awe.
Although the Pink Panthers chose against retaining their star raider ahead of the PKL 5 auctions, the management did all that was possible to re-sign the veteran.
#8 Rishank Devadiga
A Mumbai boy by heart, Rishank Devadiga has often displayed exemplary skill on the mat with his clever mix of agility and smartness.
The raider made his PKL debut with U Mumba and played a huge role in the setup, often partnering with Shabeer Bapu to claim crucial points.
As seasons went by, he transformed into one of the main raiders in the U Mumba setup and played the perfect foil to Anup Kumar's style of play.
This season, he will hope to form a vital partnership with Nitin Tomar at the UP Yoddha.
#7 Sukesh Hegde
A man of few words, Karnataka's own Sukesh Hegde was picked in the PKL Auctions 2014 by the Telugu Titans for whom he played four seasons. He made maximum use of the minimal chances given to him and has 209 raid points from the 49 matches he has played for the Titans.
In season 5, Sukesh will not only be the star raider but will also wear the captain's arm band as he will lead Gujarat Fortune Giants, the newest entrant into the extravaganza.
#6 Kashiling Adake
The towering raider was an integral part of the Delhi outfit right throughout his PKL career and got his big break after being spotted on the reserve team of Mahindra.
Backed by consistency in the domestic circuit, in PKL 2014, he was picked by Dabangg Delhi for just 10 lakh and played the role of their lead raider.
In season 5, Adake will be representing U Mumba, a team that has been performing consistently over the past few years and will hope to make a huge impact for the Anup Kumar led side.
#5 Ajay Thakur
Tallest of the lot, Ajay has relied on his fabulous reach to good effect. With 14 years of experience under his belt, Ajay has enjoyed a fantastic PKL career.
He started off with the Bengaluru Bulls in 2014 and played there for two seasons before moving to the Puneri Paltan for PKL 3. Under Manjeet Chhillar, he played the role of the lead raider in PKL 3 and PKL 4.
In the auction leading to PKL 5, he was bought by the Tamil Thailavars. He will be leading the side as the team's first ever captain.
#4 Anup Kumar
Cool, calm and collected. Nope, we are not talking about MS Dhoni. We're using these traits to describe the irreplaceable Anup Kumar, who has emerged as one of India's favourite sons when it comes to the sport of Kabaddi.
While most raiders like to feel the fabric on opposition players, Anup's strength lies with his impeccable knack to rake up the bonus points, which he does with utmost ease.
Anup led U Mumba to victory in 2015 and followed it up by leading India to victory in the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup. In PKL 5, he will be seen donning the captain's role yet again for U Mumba.
#3 Rohit Kumar
The second-costliest player in the PKL 5 auctions. An 83 lakh bid for one player, one raider. The splurge on Rohit Kumar was only a small token of appreciation which the Bengaluru Bulls believed he deserved after his exhilarating show the previous season.
A Navy-man, Rohit Kumar stole all the spotlight with his performance in PKL 3, where he helped Patna Pirates to the title and also won the MVP award the same season.
In 2016, he represented the Bengaluru Bulls and with the team bereft of another star raider in Rohit Baliyan, the onus was on Rohit to lead the team's charge which he did to good effect.
With the dawn of a new season, he will hope to conjure up some more tricks and lead the Bulls charge.
#2 Pardeep Narwal
When most 18 or 19-year-olds were battling time to prepare for their exams, Pardeep Narwal was out on the Kabaddi mat, causing nightmares for his opposition defenders match after match.
A natural when it comes to an attacking style of play, the talented 19-year old has already stamped his authority in the PKL.
A 'dubki' specialist, Pardeep Narwal was retained by the Patna Pirates ahead of season 5 and the two-time champions will hope to see him continue his form and give them a hat-trick of title victories.
#1 Rahul Chaudhari
It's probably safe to say that Rahul Chaudhari is the Virat Kohli of Indian Kabaddi for his popularity and style of play. Swift movement and a knack for picking up crucial points, Rahul Chaudhari is a constant in every fan's fantasy team.
Rahul stamped his authority early in PKL, scoring the second most raids points(151) in season 1. Although he was not at his best in next two seasons, the lion inside him resurfaced and he amassed 146 points from season 4 which earned him 'Raider of the season' award.
Rahul holds the record for the most number of raid points and total points in PKL history and this year, the Titans will look up to their skipper who will hope to lead them to a title victory.
