Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) has taken the nation by storm since its inception and millions of fans tune in to watch the teams on TV, and thousands come to watch their favourite team play in the stadiums. The PKL has had a huge impact on the lives of the players, as they became household names.
The competition has also witnessed the emergence of high-quality young players, who have given a glimpse of their kabaddi prowess through stellar performances. The league seems to have developed a penchant for churning out quality youngsters. Though it is really tough to choose, here are the top five young players in the league.
#5 Manoj Dhull (Jaipur Pink Panthers)
Manoj Dhull made his debut with the Puneri Paltan in Season 3, but he came into the limelight last season playing for the U Muma side. This 21-year old right corner defender from Haryana has both the strength and the potential to become a star in the league.
In the 10 matches he has played, Dhull has attempted 34 tackles, converting 14 successfully at an average of 1.40 tackle points per game. This defender will look to make a mark on the tournament as he gears up for the Jaipur Pink Panthers this season.
#4 Deepak Narwal (Bengal Warriors)
Deepak Narwal made his debut in Season 2 for the Patna Pirates. Pirates’ captain Rakesh Kumar’s injury-affected campaign opened the doors for 20-year-old Deepak Narwal to shine. In the former Indian captain's absence, Deepak helped the Pirates reach the semi-final and in just 16 matches, he amassed 61 raid points.
He played the role of a squad player in the team’s title-winning campaign in Season 3. Last year he represented Dabang Delhi K.C. and had a decent season where he established himself as a top quality raider.
In the 31 matches that he has played, Narwal has 101 raid points to his name at an average of 3.26 points per game. He will play for the Bengal Warriors this season.
#3 Nitin Tomar (Team UP)
20-year-old Nitin Tomar turned out to be Bengal Warriors’ most effective and dependable player in Season 3. Nitin was, unfortunately, injured during the Jaipur and the Patna legs which is why he was able to play just 10 matches. In those matches, he was able to terrorise Bengal’s rival teams.
His thunderous pace, jumps and acrobatics gave him the epithet ‘Tornado Tomar’ as he kept making inroads into opponents’ defensive units to devastating effect. In the Warriors’ home leg, he was in fabulous form and did not score below 8 in any of the four matches, which included a 9-point haul against eventual champions Patna Pirates.
He finished Season 3 with 77 raid points and 6.8 successful raids per match – the highest percentage amongst all players. He played Season 4 with the Puneri Paltan where he was able to impress in the limited games he played.
In the 22 matches he has played so far overall, Tomar has made 98 successful raids out of 272 attempted with a total of 112 raid points. Tomar became the highest bid player ever in the history of the ProKabaddi League when the 22-year-old raider was picked up for a whopping 93 lakh by the new UP franchise.
#2 Amit Hooda (Team Tamil Nadu)
Amit Hooda started his career with the Patna Pirates in Season 3 and instantly made an impact, by contributing to the team’s title run. He was selected by the Jaipur Pink Panthers last term in what was his breakthrough season.
Throughout the tournament, in which the dynamite defender effected 47 tackles, Hooda was one of the pillars of Jaipur’s defence, which kept the best raiders in the tournament at bay. Combining with Ran Singh, Hooda produced wonderful tackles one after the other.
His aggression was not overt and quite controlled, thereby it helped Jaipur Pink Panthers reach the finals. In 32 matches, Hooda has made 83 tackle points at an average of 2.59 points per game and garnered 3 High 5’s. He was acquired by Team Tamil Nadu in this year’s auction.
#1 Pardeep Narwal (Patna Pirates)
Pardeep Narwal has proved to be a revelation in the Pro Kabaddi League. Off the mat, Narwal is a shy 19-year-old from Haryana who barely speaks but the moment you tell him to raid in a kabaddi mat, he turns into this ferocious animal that just gobbles up the opposition.
Although he made his debut with the Bengaluru Bulls in Season 2, the raider was transferred to the Pirates in Season 3 and immediately proved himself as a prized treasure of the team. His passion, flexibility and anticipatory powers were immaculate and awarded him 116 raid points that season – the maximum in Pro Kabaddi Season 3.
Narwal has helped the Patna Pirates win two consecutive titles and was awarded the Most Valuable Player of Season 4. In 38 matches, this raider has accumulated 256 raid points at an average of 2.96 per game and also has won 10 Super 10’s. He was rightly retained by the Pirates in the auction this year and will look to win a third title for the franchise.
Also Read: Pro Kabaddi League 2017 Season 5: Top 5 raiding pairs to watch out for this season
