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In the sport of Kabaddi, a raider's job is to collect as many points as he can through his raids. The raiders are the ones who help the team in getting a lead and then the defense consolidates it. Over the years, a lot of unknown raiders have transformed into household names thanks to the Pro Kabaddi League.
The unique concept of the league has revolutionized the entire sport of kabaddi. Earlier, there used to be a perception that only some specific players would raid for the team while the defenders would put in their best to tackle. However, the PKL has changed this old ideology as we see many players contributing on both fronts.
In recent times, the defenders have displayed their raiding skills while the raiders surprise the opposition raiders by tackling them from the right/left in positions.
As we build up to Pro Kabaddi 2019, we have a look at five raiders who have the most number of tackle points in the history of the league.
#5 Sunil Jaipal - 39 tackle points
Sunil Jaipal started off his PKL career with the Bengal Warriors in season one. He played two seasons for the franchise where he picked 67 raid points and 23 tackle points. Despite being the team's key raider, Sunil involved himself in risky tackle situations and pulled off successful tackles for his team. In season one, Jaipal scored 17 tackle points.
The Bengal Warriors player then joined Bengaluru Bulls in the fifth edition of PKL. Playing for Rohit Kumar's side, Jaipal scored identical number of raid points and tackle points (16). Thus, in the three PKL seasons he featured in, the raider helped his team in both the departments.
In total, Jaipal picked up 39 tackle points from three seasons and 33 matches.
Also Read: Most Successfull Tackles in Pro Kabaddi League
#4 Monu - 42 tackle points
Puneri Paltan's raider Monu played two seasons for the franchise in 2017 and 2018. He has not been retained by the Pune franchise this year but in the two editions that he played, Monu proved that he is not only a good raider but also an excellent defender. The fact that he picked up a High-5 to his name speaks volumes of his talent.
In his debut season, Monu could score only 19 raid points but he made up for his poor raiding performance by scoring 30 tackle points. His average tackle points per game were more than his average raid points in season 5.
Pune used his services in 14 matches of season 6 where Monu scored 45 raid points and 12 tackle points. He even executed two super tackles in season 6. He has played A total of 59 matches and earned 429 total points .
#3 Rishank Devadiga - 45 tackle points
Maharashtra born raider Rishank Devadiga is known to be a team player. Apart from raiding in crucial situations, Rishank has also done a good job in the team's defense. In his first PKL season, Devadiga aggregated 13 points in the defense.
The number increased to 14 in season two but has taken a dip ever since. In season 4, Rishank failed to pick a single tackle point. He joined UP Yoddha in season 5, where he has often struggled to maintain his fitness.
However, Rishank has chipped in with tackles at crucial stages which has taken his overall tally to 45 tackle points. For season 7, Rishank Devadiga will play for UP Yoddha once again and will hope to put up a spirited show on both fronts. For season 6 Rishank Devadiga and Monu Goyat broke the record by being singed for highest bids.
#2 Kashiling Adake and Rahul Chaudhari - 51 tackle points
Two marquee raiders of the Pro Kabaddi League, Rahul Chaudhari, and Kashiling Adake have picked 51 points each through tackles.
Looking at Rahul Chaudhari's statistics first, he picked 10 tackle points in his debut season, followed by 9 tackle points in season two. His two super tackles in season 3 helped him score 12 tackle points. In the remaining 3 seasons, Chaudhari aggregated 20 tackle points.
Another Maharashtra born player to feature on this list, Kashiling Adake picked up 51 tackle points while playing for different franchises in the PKL. His contribution to the defense was negligible during his stint with Dabang Delhi but season by season, Adake's tackle points kept on increasing.
Kashi scored 38 of his 51 tackle points in the last 3 seasons which solidifies the above statement. He won the PKL last year with Bengaluru Bulls as Adake picked up 19 tackle points in that season.
#1 Anup Kumar - 69 tackle points
Anup Kumar is one of the most successful players in the Pro Kabaddi League with his unmatched leadership skills and individual brilliance. He was the man behind U Mumba's success in the initial seasons of the Pro Kabaddi League. Though he did not have a fairytale end to his PKL career, Anup Kumar earned a lot of respect with his Kabaddi skills.
He featured in the playing seven as a primary raider but he also stepped up in the defense to help his team. In his final season for U Mumba, Anup often played at the corner positions. He scored 26 tackle points in that season. In season 6, Anup picked up 11 tackle points for Jaipur Pink Panthers but the team struggled as a unit.
Puneri Paltan recently appointed Anup Kumar as their new coach and under his tutelage, the Paltan can be expected to achieve great heights.
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