Along with massive success comes massive pressure. Some players thrive under scrutiny while others fade away. One can’t single out a particular aspect which leads to their poor form. It could be a combination of injuries, the mental frame of mind, team performance, expecting a lot from themselves and a host of other reasons.
When this downfall does occur, it’s extremely hard to shrug it off. Getting back up from this poor form is something most players find it hard to cope with. We look at five such players who started brilliantly but eventually faded away.
#1 Ravi Dalal
We can’t remember the last time a commentator or a fan talked about Ravi Dalal. The raider had a stupendous first season with the Patna Pirates. His side may not have won that year but Dalal’s exploits were present for everyone to witness. The 26-year-old picked up 111 raid points – a massive tally considering he did better than the likes of Deepak Niwas Hooda and Rishank Devadiga.
Dalal was the seventh best raider in the opening season of the Pro Kabaddi League. A lot was expected from the talented raider from there on. But he failed to live up to the hype. In Season 2, he picked up a mere 44 raid points which was the beginning of his downfall. Dalal picked up just 13 points in Season 4 and for the upcoming season, Dalal will represent Dabang Delhi and will be itching to get back into form.
#2 Surjeet Narwal
Narwal was another raider who started his Pro Kabaddi career with a bang. In his very first year, he picked up a whopping 113 raid points for Dabang Delhi, officially cementing himself as a force to be reckoned with. Widely known as the flying machine, Surjeet always put on a show for the spectators with his athletic dive and touch weapon.
However, plagued by injuries, he couldn’t make an impact in the second season. A fit again Narwal returned in Season 3, this time for the Bengaluru Bulls. But he failed to deliver, scoring a poor 40 raid points throughout the season. Believe it or not, he picked up just seven raid points last season – another raiding flop for the Bengal Warriors and came across as a shadow of his former self.
#3 Jasmer Singh Gulia
One of the most experienced all-rounders around, Singh primarily operates as a defender, adding depth at the back. And the 35-year-old was once one of the most expensive players in the league.
The Telugu Titans, in fact, picked him up from Pune for Rs. 35.5 lakhs in Season 2. That was after Jasmer had the fourth best number for a defender in the league, picking up an impressive 38 tackle points for Puneri Paltan in the first season.
Considered to be a great reader of the game, the veteran couldn’t, however, replicate his form in Season 2, where he picked up lesser tackle points (2) than Rahul Chaudhari (7).
He turned things around Season 3, cementing himself as the fifth best defender in the league. But once again poor form came back to haunt him as he slipped from fifth to the twenty-fifth best defender in Season 4, scoring a mere 19 tackle points last season.
#4 Prashant Chavan
For Chavan, 2014 was a year he’ll never forget. He won the title with Jaipur Pink Panthers, scoring an impressive 32 tackle points in the process – seventh best in the league. His period of massive success was, however, followed by a torrid Season 2, during which he picked up a mere 11 raid points.
Looking for a much-needed change in scenery, Chavan shifted to the Puneri Paltan for season 3. But his indifferent form continued as he picked up just 3 tackle points, in what was his worst season till date. Once again, he shifted locations, this time to the capital city of Delhi. But there was no stopping his downfall. The defender conjured a measly 10 tackle points last time around. The pressure under the bright lights got the better of the veteran.
#5 Sukesh Hegde
By far the most famous player on this list, in 2014, Hegde was part of the holy trinity between him, Deepak Niwas Hooda and Rahul Chaudhari. An ideal environment to thrive in. In season 1, the raider scored an impressive 79 points. Together with Rahul, their partnership was once considered one of the most potent in the game.
Unlike the others, Sukesh didn’t fade away in bits and parts. His downfall was sudden and shocking in every sense of the word. Between Season 2 and 3, he was still there and about, displaying consistency, though not replicating his Season 1 heroics. But it was in Season 4 where Hedge had a nightmarish experience. He scored just seven raid points and regularly found himself on the bench.
