Anyone who has ever watched kabaddi knows what a high-intensity, power-packed sport it is. Thereās no room for casuals here ā you play to win, or you get taken out. Itās a cutthroat sport where the tiniest movements and smallest of decisions matter as much as strength, agility, intelligence, and sheer courage.
Considering the nature of the game, it takes some true grit and mettle for a player to become a god of kabaddi. As the sport is mostly played in India and its surrounding countries, almost all the best kabaddi players in India are simultaneously the world’s best kabaddi players. In this article, we will rank all the current Indian greats and take a closer look at their most notable statistics in the greatest kabaddi competition in the world ā Indiaās Pro Kabaddi League.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Kabaddi Players in the World ā Ranking
Although itās difficult to quantify the skills of kabaddi players in terms of points owing to the fact that defenders earn far fewer points compared to attackers, we will take that route when ranking the best Indian kabaddi players for the sake of simplicity.
| Rank | Player | Team | Matches | Points |
| 1 | Pardeep Narwal | UP Yoddha | 131 | 1357 |
| 2 | Deepak Hooda | Jaipur Pink Panthers | 140 | 1063 |
| 3 | Pawan Sehrawat | Bengaluru Bulls | 104 | 1036 |
| 4 | Rahul Chaudhari | Puneri Paltan | 129 | 1027 |
| 5 | Maninder Singh | Bengal Warriors | 101 | 1004 |
| 6 | Ajay Thakur | Dabang Delhi KC | 120 | 816 |
| 7 | Rohit Kumar | Telugu Titans | 99 | 729 |
| 8 | Naveen Kumar | Dabang Delhi KC | 62 | 690 |
| 9 | Rishank Devadiga | Bengal Warriors | 122 | 672 |
| 10 | Manjeet Chhillar | Dabang Delhi KC | 132 | 616 |
Pardeep Narwal
- Born: Haryana
- Position: Raider
- Points: 1,357
There are thousands of Google searches for āWho is no 1 kabaddi player?ā or āKabaddi best player,ā and they all almost unanimously have the same answer ā Pardeep Narwal. An absolute beast of a player, the Dubki Kingās raid statistics speak for themselves.
With more than twice as many Super Raids to his name than the next best player and more than 10 points per match on average, itās hard to dispute Pardeepās status as not only the best Indian kabaddi player but also the best player of kabaddi overall.
But itās not just his raw stats that make Pardeep such a special player, itās also the way he plays. A master of deception and timing, Pardeep is always one step ahead of his opponents and can seemingly pull off the impossible with ease. He makes it all look so effortless that youād be forgiven for thinking kabaddi was easy ā but it most certainly is not.
Deepak Hooda
- Born: Haryana
- Position: All Rounder
- Points: 1,063
With the aforementioned Pardeep leaps and bounds ahead of the rest, Deepak Hooda is arguably the best kabaddi player in India after him, leading our list of the best kabaddi players. The 27-year-old all-rounder is a very powerful raider, with the ability to break through almost any defense, and his do-or-die raids are the stuff of legend.
He is also an able defender, using his massive frame and strength to great effect in both tackles and blocks. His form has been a bit patchy over the last year or so but when he is on the song, there is simply no stopping him.
Pawan Sehrawat
- Born: Delhi
- Position: Raider
- Points: 1,036
Pawan Kumar Sehrawat, strangely referred to as both Pawan Kumar and Pawan Sehrawat at different times, is a brilliant Delhi-born raider who has racked up well over a thousand points in his career. A hard-working mentality monster, Pawan is the standout player of Bengaluru Bulls and has the power to turn around entire games on his lonesome.
If there was an all-star best kabaddi team in India, he would certainly be one of the first to be picked. With an insane points-per-game statistic, Pawan is one of the handfuls of PKL players to be considered to be almost as deadly on the attack as the great Pardeep Narwal.
Rahul Chaudhari
- Born: Uttar Pradesh
- Position: Raider
- Points: 1,027
Rahul is another Indian kabaddi player who has been given a cool nickname by his fans ā The Raid Machine. Although he began his career as a defender, Rahul went on to transform into one of the greatest raiders of his generation.
Rahul’s signature move is the toe touch raid, in which he leaps into the air and touches the opposing team’s head with his toes. It’s a spectacular sight to behold, and it often leads to Rahul coming away with points!
Maninder Singh
- Born: Punjab
- Position: Raider
- Points: 1,004
Speaking of tactics, few are more tactically gifted than Maninder Singh. The Punjab-born Bengal Warriors player is a master of the do-or-die raid, and his 1,004 points are a testament to that. Not only does he have an excellent sense of when to go for the kill, but he also has the speed and agility to make it happen. Maninder is also a key player in Bengal’s defense, using his quick reflexes to block or intercept opposing players.
Maninder has the power to forge a unit out of his team, turning otherwise mediocre players into solid units with a united purpose. Add to that some fantastic raiding skills and excellent decision-making abilities, and you have the recipe for one of the all-time greats ā which he undoubtedly is. Whether he’s on offense or defense, Maninder is a force to be reckoned with!
Ajay Thakur
- Born: Himachal Pradesh
- Position: Raider
- Points: 816
Ajay Thakur is a name that is synonymous with kabaddi. He is one of the most successful raiders the game has ever seen. At 36, he is one of the oldest players in the PKL, but he still continues to amaze fans with his raids.
One of the longest-serving maestros of the sport, Ajay Thakur, has plied his trade with several teams over the years. He was a part of the India team and even captained them in 2017. Ajay Thakur then moved to Tamil Thalaivas for two seasons before joining the Dabang Delhi in 2021.
Rohit Kumar
- Born: Haryana
- Position: Raider
- Points: 729
A highly skilled player and inspiring leader, Rohit Kumar has a great mix of experience and firepower. With a total of 729 points in his career, he is more than capable of turning a match on its head and inspiring his team to victory. Rohit is also a dangerous defender with a keen eye for an interception.
He is a powerful raider who is not afraid to take on the opposition’s defense. Rohit is a key player for his team and always puts in a strong performance.
Naveen Kumar
- Born: Haryana
- Position: Raider
- Points: 690
Arguably the hottest young player out there at the moment, Naveen is another raider who could take up the mantle of Pardeep Narwal. A prodigious raider, he became the first player born in the 2000s to join the PKL. Since then, he has enjoyed a meteoric rise towards becoming a famous kabaddi player in India.
Kumar is known for his quickness and agility on the mat, which allows him to trick defenders and open up space for himself to score points. He is also an effective do-or-die raider, which makes him a very valuable asset for any team. In the future, we could see Naveen becoming one of the best raiders in the world, and it will be interesting to see how he develops over the next few years.
Rishank Devadiga
- Born: Mumbai
- Position: Raider
- Points: 672
UP Yoddhaās finest player Rishank Devadiga is a dangerous player whose very presence on the mat is enough to make opponents nervous. Equal parts wily and brave, Devadiga is a cool customer who can snake his way into and out of the most ironclad of defenses.
The Mumbai-born raider has been with UP Yoddha since the beginning and has played a key role in the teamās success over the years. A raider who is as comfortable on his back as he is on his feet, Devadiga is a player who can do it all. He has a sharp brain and uses it well on the mat, making him a difficult player to stop.
Manjeet Chhillar
- Born: Delhi
- Position: All-Rounder
- Points: 616
Being one of the most experienced all-rounders, Chhillar is a sharp defender with the unparalleled distinction of having made the most successful tackles in the history of the PKL. It takes some serious kabaddi chops as well as tactical know-how to be a player of Manjeetās caliber, and itās safe to say that he is arguably the greatest defensive all-rounder the game has seen.
Chhillar is known for his amazing ability to read the game and react quickly to situations. He is also an excellent passer of the ball, which makes him a valuable asset in both defense and attack. His composure under pressure is one of his most admirable qualities, which has helped him remain one of the most successful all-rounders in the PKL. Even at 35, he comfortably finds a spot in the list of top 10 kabaddi players’ names.
FAQ
Here are the internetās most-searched questions regarding the top kabaddi players in India.
Who is the best kabaddi player in India?
Itās difficult to determine who is no 1 kabaddi player in India due to how the roles in kabaddi work, but almost any sports pundit would point the finger at either Pardeep Narwal for his mind-boggling raiding skills or Deepak Hooda for his all-round magic.
Who is the best kabaddi player in the world?
Pardeep Narwal is one of the best kabaddi players in the world. Widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, Pardeep is known for his ability to score points both raid and tackle.
Who is the No 1 Raider in kabaddi?
Pardeep Narwal is known as the āRaid Machineā because of his exceptional raiding skills. He holds the record for the most raids in a single match as well as the most points scored in a single match.
Who is the God of kabaddi?
Anup Kumar, now retired, is known as the āgod of kabaddiā for his mesmerizing prowess on the mat.
Who is a goat in kabaddi?
Anup Kumar can be considered the goat in kabaddi due to his numerous gold medals at every level.
Who has the most raid points in kabaddi?
Pardeep Narwal currently has the most points of any kabaddi player, and considering the fact that heās only 26, that record might hold for a while.
Conclusion
Betting on kabaddi might not be as difficult as the sport itself, but it nevertheless requires every bit of help you can get your hands on. It is imperative that you know all the information available on a game ā from the records of the players to their fitness levels and form. Luckily, you can get all of this information as well as tips in the same place that doubles as the best site to bet on kabaddi ā Parimatch.
Parimatch is one of the top sports betting destinations for punters in India. Between our wide selection of sports to its innumerable markets and highly profitable odds, you will be on a roll in no time. We also provide support for just about every payment method available to Indian bettors, and transferring both into and out of your account is lightning fast ā so if thereās a match you want to bet on, you can place your wager any time. Additionally, if you face any problems and need support, our extensive FAQ section and highly trained, helpful, and courteous customer support team will be there to help. With the power of the awesome Parimatch app, you can also avail yourself of all these services from the comfort of wherever you are. Parimatch is your ultimate sports betting haven.