One of the oldest sports in India which has been a part of our culture and tradition for years, but hasn’t gotten its due respect, Kabbadi, found a new ray of hope with the emergence of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi in 2014. The tournament which comprises of eight franchises that represent various cities of India has gained much prominence and popularity in the world since its inception.
Now venturing into its fourth season, the League has helped many young talents to exhibit their skills and potential in front of the country, which made them stars overnight. However, there are quite a few dark horses in various franchises who are not as popular as their counterparts. Like a pot of water simmering to a boil, these players are also on the verge of emerging as the star players for their respective teams. Let us now take a look at 5 such lesser known players who can shine and make a name for themselves in Season 4:
1) Surjeet (U Mumba)
Surjeet, who plays for U Mumba and has previously been a part of Puneri Paltan, is one of the most talented and feared young players in the tournament.
The defender is expected to play in the right cover position for U Mumba as he did for the Paltan. He makes life difficult for raiders as they find it quite hard to score points when they go for raids. The 25-year-old had a very successful show in Season 3 and dazzled everyone with his amazing skills on the field, as he finished third in the list of top defenders with a total of 47 successful tackles.
In the only season he has played so far, he has attempted 75 tackles, out of which 47 have been successful. He scored 48 defence points, which gives him an average of 4 defence points per match. Only 25 years of age, he has delivered some mature performances, well beyond his years.
Despite his amazing return in terms of points, he always remained in the shadow of Manjeet Chhillar and this move to U Mumba is expected to put him in the limelight.
2) Nitin Tomar (Puneri Paltan)
Nitin Tomar is just 21 years old, which makes him one of the youngest players in the tournament. He is an immensely talented player and a rising star for India in the sport of kabaddi, as he showed with his former team, Bengal Warriors.
Tomar is an all-rounder who played for Bengal Warriors and was one of the main reasons for their maiden semi-final appearance in the third season. He played 10 matches in Season 3, but scored 81 points, out of which 77 came in raids. Despite an injury-wrecked season, the Services player finished 6th in the list of the top raiders while he also made 11 tackles for his team.
Puneri Paltan's ambitions to go one step further and win the coveted title got a huge boost with the signing of Nitin ahead of Season 4. Now, it is up to him to help them on their path by emerging from the shadows and making a name for himself.
3) Selvamani K (Dabang Delhi)
Selvamani K is one of the few glittering stars for Dabang Delhi, who have had 3 very disappointing seasons in Star Sports Pro Kabaddi so far. He has played selflessly for his team in the past few seasons and has been undoubtedly one of their better performers with decent showings on the field.
The 24-year-old has played 18 matches so far for the Delhi franchise and has scored a total of 53 points, with 52 of them coming through his destructive raids. Despite a poor season for the team last time around, Selvamani managed to score 38 raid points, giving ample support to his captain Kashiling Adake.
Selvamani is one of the most significant members of his team, and is indispensable for Dabang Delhi and that was highlighted by the fact that the team chose to retain him over captain Ravinder Pahal. Having finished in the bottom 3 of the league in the last three seasons, any hopes and aspirations that Dabang Delhi have of being successful in their fourth try would be lying on his young shoulders, as he aims to make Season 4 his breakthrough year.
4) Rohit Rana (Jaipur Pink Panthers)
Rohit Rana has been a mainstay for Jaipur Pink Panthers right from the first season. Known for his prowess in the art of defending, Rana has made the left cover position his own, and raiders have had to fight tooth and nail to gain a point off him.
He was one of Jaipur’s most successful players in Season 1, finishing 3rd in the list of top defenders of the league with 37 successful tackles as Jaipur Pink Panthers lifted the title. Rana could not replicate his Season 1 performances in the second and third seasons and that reflected in the team's position in the table at the end of the two seasons where they finished 5th and 6th respectively.
The 28-year-old will be looking to replicate his Season 1 exploits ,this time around and become a household name, like his teammates Jasvir Singh and Rajesh Narwal. Being an integral part of the team and the rock of the Panthers' defence, much lies on his shoulders as Jaipur aim to make a return to the elite of the competition in Season 4.
5) Ravi Dalal (Bengal Warriors)
Ravi Dalal is a multi-talented player known for his speed and agility when he goes for raids. Having previously played for Patna Pirates in Seasons 1 and 2 where he was one of their stars when it came to raiding, he wasn’t a part of Season 3. However, Ravi has made a comeback into the tournament and will be playing for Bengal Warriors in Season 4.
The 25-year-old has played a total of 27 matches, scoring 158 points, with 155 of them coming through his boisterous raids. While playing for the Pirates, Dalal finished 7th in the list of top raiders for Season 1 with 111 successful raid points. A subdued Season 2 ensued post his heroics in the first season and he managed just 44 raid points, while he was not part of the tournament in the third season.
In the upcoming season, the youngster will turn up for the Warriors, who are still smarting from their maiden appearance in the knockout stage in Season 3. With the likes of Surjeet Singh, Mahendra Rajput, Jang Kun Lee, and Ravi Dalal, Bengal Warriors have a prominent attacking line-up and the latter will be hoping to finally fulfill his promising talent in Season 4.
