India is the land of Kabaddi, which has produced various extraordinary talents who have left an indelible mark on the game. Coming from the land of origin, India has been home to great athletes who have made history by creating Popular legendary Kabaddi players. From the traditional beginnings of the sport to its modern-day glory, Indian kabaddi has been shaped by the brilliance and dedication of these legendary players.
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Today in this blog we will discuss the Top 10 Famous Kabaddi Players in India that have achieved and bring an impact on the sport’s popularity, and the legacy they continue to inspire .
List of Top 10 Famous Kabaddi Players in India
| Rank | Player | Team | Matches | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pardeep Narwal | UP Yoddha | 170 | 1690 |
| 2 | Maninder Singh | Bengal Warriors | 143 | 1428 |
| 3 | Pawan Sehrawat | Bengaluru Bulls | 126 | 1189 |
| 4 | Deepak Hooda | Jaipur Pink Panthers | 157 | 1020 |
| 5 | Rahul Chaudhari | Jaipur Pink Panthers | 154 | 1045 |
| 6 | Naveen Kumar | Dabang Delhi KC | 91 | 1005 |
| 7 | Sachin Tanwar | Patna Pirates | 128 | 952 |
| 8 | Arjun Deshwal | Jaipur Pink Panthers | 91 | 947 |
| 9 | Ajay Thakur | Dabang Delhi KC | 120 | 719 |
| 10 | Manjeet Chhillar | Dabang Delhi KC | 132 | 616 |
1. Pardeep Narwal
Pardeep Narwal is an Indian Kabaddi player who has earned himself the tag of best Kabaddi player. He is regarded as the greatest Raider in Kabaddi History. Currently playing in the Bengaluru Bulls he also has been part of the Patna pirates. Narwhal made debut in the VIVO Pro Kabaddi with Bulls in season 2 but then moved to Pirates in season 3. With a record of 1690 points and 170 matches he has separated himself from the league and carved a different niche for himself.
Records and achievements
- VIVO Pro Kabaddi (2015, 2016, 2017)
- Kabaddi World Cup (2016)
- Asian kabaddi championship (2017)
- Kabaddi Masters Dubai (2018)
- VIVO Pro Kabaddi Most Valuable Player (2016, 2017)
- Best Raider Award (2017, 2018)
- Most super raids in a season
- Most touch point in a single raid
- First player to score 1500 raid points in PKL history, it was against Gujarat Giants VS UP Yoddha Match PKL season 9.
2. Deepak Hooda
Deepak Hooda plays as all rounder for the Patna Pirates who has played a total of 154 matches and has grabbed 1020 points. He stands out as the best player after Pradeep in India. Aged 30, he is a well profound raider who has been playing since he was a child.Hooda was a key player for the Haryana team that won gold at the 2014 Senior National tournament in Patna. He also debuted for the national team at the 2016 South Asian Games, where his team secured a gold medal.
Records and achievements
Kabaddi World Cup: Gold medal – 1st, 2016, Ahmedabad
Asian Games: Bronze medal – 3rd, 2018, Jakarta
Asian Kabaddi Championship: Gold medal – 1st, 2017, Gorgan
Dubai Kabaddi Masters: Gold medal – 1st, 2018, Dubai
South Asian Games (Guwahati): Gold medal – 1st, 2016, Guwahati
South Asian Games (Kathmandu): Gold medal – 1st, 2019, Kathmandu
3. Pawan Sehrawat
Delhi based raider who plays for Telugu Titans. He is an all rounder who has a record of the most expensive player in its name for the Pro Kabaddi League. He has played a total of 126 matches where he has grabbed a total of 1189 points.Pawan made his debut for Bengaluru Bulls in third season of Pro Kabaddi League nowhere he finished scoring most raid points for his team.
Sehrawat not only played in the domestic tournament but has also played in the international matches. He has won a gold medal for the Indian side at the 2019 South Asian Games.
Records and Achievements
- Most Valuable Player, 2018 Pro Kabbadi league
- Most raid points, 2018, 2019 and 2021–22 Pro Kabaddi League
- Most raid points in a Pro Kabaddi match (39)
- Gold, 2019 South Asian Games
- Gold, Asian Kabaddi Championship 2023
- He was awarded with the Arjuna Award for 2023
4. Maninder Singh
Gifted with ability of multiple tactics, Maninder is the Punjab based Kabaddi player who has mastered the art of do or die raid and his 1428 points in 143 matches are testament of his value as a team player. He is absolutely a key player for the Bengal warriors who knows when and where to take the lead in the game. Playing in the Indian National Kabaddi team he is regarded as the best raider in the PKL as well.
Records and Achievements
- He became the fastest raider to score 400 and 500 raid points in the 2018–19 Pro Kabaddi League season.
- Winner of the 2017 Kabaddi Asia Cup.
- He became the second quickest raider after Pardeep Narwal (63 matches) to reach 600 and 1000 points in PKL history.
- He scored his career best 20 raid points in a single match to register a 45-50 victory against Gujarat Giants in PKL Season 9.
5. Rahul Chaudhari
Playing as a raider for the he is a UP based kabaddi player who has grabbed a 1045 total points from 154 matches he has played. He is also famous with the name of the Raid Machine. Chaudhari started his career playing as a defender but then ended up being among the best raiders of all time.
He is famous for his spectacular move in Kabaddi where he leaps in the air and tries to touch the opponent’s head with his toes. His move has always fetched him points and opponents with a player out of the court.
Records and Achievements
- He was the first player ever to score 500, 700 and 800 raid points in Pro Kabaddi League.
- He is the brand ambassador of the Uttar Pradesh Dairy Department.
- Won a gold medal at the 2016 South Asian games.
6. Naveen Kumar
Referred to as the Naveen Express, he is a 24 year-old professional Kabaddi player who is famous for his ability to make speedy raids and consistency. Starting early in his career he is the youngest player in the Pro Kabaddi league. He was introduced to the game by his grandfather at a young age. Naveen made his debut in 2018, Season 6 of the Pro Kabaddi League for the club Dabang Delhi.
Records and Achievements
- He also became the fastest player to reach 600 points in the history of the league in the season 8 of the PKL.
- Has been awarded the most valuable player for season 7, 8 of the Pro Kabaddi League.
- In his international career he has played an important role in winning the 13th South-Asian Games and also in the Asian Kabaddi Championships 2023 in Busan.
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7. Sachin Tanwar
Aged 25, Sachin is among the youngest players in the PKL history. Playing for the Tamil thalavias Sachin has accumulated a total of 952 points in 128 matches. He was among the top 10 raid point scorers in the league in his first two seasons.And then he made his debut for the Indian kabaddi team in 2017. Before making it big in Kabaddi, he has played in the under-14 and under-16 tournaments that helped him to go for the Senior India National selection trials.
Records and Achievements
- He was the highest raid point scorer for Gujarat Giants finishing with 159 raid points in his debut season.
- Gold at 2017 Southeast Asian Games
- Gold at 2017 Asian Beach Games
- Pro Kabaddi league runner up (2016)
8. Arjun Deshwal
He is a professional Kabaddi player who is famous with the nickname Raid Machine. He along with playing professional Kkabddi also works as a DSP in UP police. His ability to play aggressively and raiding techniques has helped him earn 947 points out of the 91 matches he played. Starting at the age of 14 he started playing kabaddi by watching players of his village.
Records and Achievements
- He is considered one of the top raiders in PKL season 9.
- Won gold at the 2022 Asian Games
- Also helped the team to win gold at the Asian Kabaddi Championship in Busan.
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9. Ajay Thakur
Ajay Thakur, born on May 1, 1987, in Dabhota, Himachal Pradesh, is a renowned Indian Kabaddi player and a Deputy Superintendent of Police. Known as the Ice Man and “King of Kabaddi,” he has made significant contributions to the sport, including leading the Indian team to victory in the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup and winning gold at the 2014 Asian Games. Thakur has played for various teams in the Pro Kabaddi League and earned accolades such as the Padma Shri and Arjuna Award in 2019. Besides his sports career, he serves as a police officer in Himachal Pradesh.
Records and Achievements
- Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Kabaddi – Gold Medal [2013]
- Gold Medal at Kabaddi at the 2007 Asian Indoor Games
- 2014 Asian Games – Gold Medal.
- Asian Kabaddi Championship 2017(Gorgan, Iran) – Gold Medal.
- World Cup 2016 (Ahmedabad, India) – Gold medal
- Asian Games 2018 (Jakarta, Indonesia)- Bronze Medal
- Padma Shri award (2019)
- Arjuna Award (2019)
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10. Manjeet Chhillar
One of the most experienced all rounders of the kabaddi team, Chilar is the sharp defender of the PKL. Being named as One Man Army, Angry Young Man, Mighty Manjeet, and the Powerhouse, Chillar is among the successful raiders of his time. Manjeet Chhillar was initially a wrestler, but an injury to his nose turned him to Kabaddi. He is famously renowned for his ability to read the game and then imply tactics in the game. Beside game techniques he is also known for balancing his composure during matches despite being an angry man.
Records and Achievements
- emerged as the Star Sports Defender of the Tournament.
- Most Valuable Player (2015) in the PKL
- Gold at 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou
- Gold at 2014 Asian Games in Incheon
- 2016 Kabaddi World Cup winner
- 2018 Dubai Kabaddi Masters winner
- Arjuna Award winner (2015)
