10 Best Kabaddi Players the Game Has Seen to Date

Ever wondered who are the top 10 kabaddi players in India? Today, you’ll have the answer. Keep reading!

Anyone who has ever watched kabaddi knows what a high-intensity, power-packed sport it is. There’s no room for casuals here – you play to win, or you get taken out. It’s 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 closely examine their most notable statistics in the greatest kabaddi competition in the world – India’s Pro Kabaddi League.

Top 10 Kabaddi Players in the World – Ranking

Although it’s 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.

Pardeep Narwal

• Born: Haryana
• Position: Raider
• Points: 1,699

There are thousands of Google searches for “Who is no 1 kabaddi player?” or “Kabaddi best player,” and they all almost unanimously have the same answer – Pardeep Narwal. An absolute beast of a player, the Dubki King’s raid statistics speak for themselves. As far as Raiders are concerned, he has to be the world no 1 kabaddi player.

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, it’s hard to dispute Pardeep’s status as not only the best Indian kabaddi player but also the best player of kabaddi overall.

But it’s not just his raw stats that make Pardeep such a special player, it’s 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 you’d be forgiven for thinking kabaddi was easy – but it most certainly is not.

Naveen Kumar

• Born: Delhi
• Position: Raider
• Points: 1,020

Up next on our list of the top 10 kabaddi players in the world, we’ve got arguably the hottest young player out there at the moment—Naveen Kumar. He is a 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.

Maninder Singh

• Born: Punjab
• Position: Raider
• Points: 1,442

Speaking of tactics, few are more tactically gifted than Maninder Singh. He is among the top 10 best kabaddi player in world for his raiding skills. The Punjab-born Bengal Warriors player is a master of the do-or-die raid, and his 1,442 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 – which he undoubtedly is. Whether he’s on offense or defense, Maninder is a force to be reckoned with!

Pawan Sehrawat

• Born: Delhi
• Position: Raider
• Points: 1,254

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. He is listed among the most talented kabaddi players name. 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: 1,106

Rahul is another Indian kabaddi player who has been given a cool nickname by his fans – 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. Currently he is one of those famous kabaddi players of India, who is idolized all around the world.

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!

Rohit Kumar

• Born: Haryana
• Position: Raider
• Points: 730

Raider Rohit Kumar features at number six on our list of famous kabaddi players. A highly skilled player and inspiring leader, Rohit Kumar has a great mix of experience and firepower. With a total of 730 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.

Deepak Hooda

• Born: Haryana
• Position: All Rounder
• Points: 1,119

With the aforementioned Pardeep leaps and bounds ahead of the rest, Deepak Hooda is arguably the most famous kabaddi players in world after him, leading our list of the best kabaddi players. The 30-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.

Ajay Thakur

• Born: Himachal Pradesh
• Position: Raider
• Points: 816

Ajay Thakur is a name that is synonymous with kabaddi. If we talk about, kabaddi top 10 players, we must mention the legend, Ajay Thakur. He is one of the most successful raiders the game has ever seen. At 36, he was one of the oldest players in the PKL. Despite the age, he continued to amaze fans with his raids before bidding farewell to Kabaddi in 2021.

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. To date, many claim Ajay to be the world best kabaddi player. For fans, he is like the Sachin of kabaddi.

Rishank Devadiga

• Born: Mumbai
• Position: Raider
• Points: 672

UP Yoddha’s 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 team’s success over the years. A raider who is as comfortable on his back as he is on his feet, Devadiga was among the best player in kabaddi. He was known for his “do it all” ability. During his active days, he had a sharp brain and used it well on the mat. All these made him a difficult player to stop.

Manjeet Chhillar

• Born: Delhi
• Position: All-Rounder
• Points: 616

Being one of the most experienced all-rounders, Chhillar was always credited for being a sharp defender. He is one of those famous kabaddi players in world who had an 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 Manjeet’s caliber, and it’s safe to say that he is still arguably the greatest defensive all-rounder the game has seen.

Chhillar was one of the famous players of kabaddi known for his amazing ability to read the game and react quickly to situations. He was also an excellent passer of the ball, which made him a valuable asset in both defense and attack. His composure under pressure was one of his most admirable qualities, which has helped him remain one of the most successful all-rounders in the PKL. Even after retirement, he comfortably finds a spot in the list of top 10 kabaddi players’ names.

FAQ

Here are the internet’s most-searched questions regarding the top kabaddi players in India.

Who is the best kabaddi player in India?

It’s 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 ‘Raid Machine’ 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 “god of kabaddi’ 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 he’s 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 – 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 – 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 – so if there’s 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.

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