A World Cup champion, an Asian Kabaddi Championship winner, and an Asian Games gold medallist, the list of achievements for star raider Ajay Thakur is endless.

Never one to throw in the towel even in the direst of situations, Ajay Thakur has starred in some of the most thrilling moments in Pro Kabaddi history over the years.

A clutch player if there ever were one, Iceman as he’s fondly known, has time and again grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat during buzzer raids and delivered on the mat when his team was under the pump and needed it the most.

Fourth on the leaderboard for most raid points (790), Ajay Thakur has performed to potential throughout his Pro Kabaddi career even though his last campaign might have been slightly underwhelming compared to his lofty standards.

Ajay Thakur’s missing jewel

Needless to say, his below-par showing in the last Pro Kabaddi campaign will only serve as motivation for the 2019 Arjuna Awardee and Padma Shri recipient to put his best foot forward in the upcoming season.

After all, Pro Kabaddi happens to be the one trophy that’s always eluded Thakur despite the star raider enjoying solid performances and campaigns from an individual point of view.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way though. Ajay Thakur was expected to have won his first Pro Kabaddi title by now and especially after Rahul Chaudhari joined him at the Tamil Thalaivas last season along with another veteran in Manjeet Chhillar.

While the southern franchise looked devastating on paper, they couldn’t quite live up to expectations on the mat. Rahul Chaudhari struggled to shoulder the burden as lead raider along with Thakur, who himself had a below-par campaign having almost single-handedly carried the Thalaivas on his back for successive campaigns.

Falling out of love with kabaddi

However, Season 8 could be Ajay Thakur’s year and a fresh start with a new franchise is sure to recharge his batteries. Pro Kabaddi’s long hiatus, in fact, can act as a blessing in disguise for Thakur, who self-admittedly had lost some of the joy of playing kabaddi.

�?/span>Sach batau toh meri woh kabaddi khelne wali khushi gayab hai. [To be honest, I have lost the joy of playing kabaddi],�?Thakur had said in 2018 after India’s Asian Games disappointment.

His comments were reflected in his Season 7 performances as he finished the campaign with just 58 raid points and cut a dejected figure �?a far cry from the all-conquering raider who singlehandedly used to get his team over the line.

Season 8 promises to be very different, however, as a revitalized and hungry Thakur will be chomping at the bit to return to action and do what he does best after spending two years without any PKL.

Why Season 8 could be the Iceman’s year

Furthermore, what makes the upcoming edition of Pro Kabaddi one his best chance at title glory is the fact that he’ll have the perfect foil raiding beside him in tandem after Dabang Delhi K.C. secured his services for INR 46 lakh at the auctions.

At Dabang Delhi K.C., Thakur is expected to don the role of support raider with Naveen Kumar fulfilling the lead role. There was a similar dynamic in Thakur’s last season with Tamil Thalaivas where Chaudhari was supposed to take on the mantle of lead but ended up underwhelming instead.

Unlike Chaudhari, young Naveen Kumar is still bursting onto the scene and developing into one of the raiding superstars in the league. After notching 172 raid points in his debut season, Naveen accumulated 301 raid points in the next edition as Dabang Delhi K.C. fell agonizingly short of the title in the Season 7 final.

At this stage of his career, Naveen’s youthful exuberance and energy will be the perfect foil for Thakur. The veteran raider too will complement Naveen by being a calm and experienced head for the youngster to learn from.

Together the raiding duo can exorcise Dabang Delhi K.C.’s demons from their Season 7 final defeat and end the long-overdue quest for Thakur to finally get his hands on the elusive Pro Kabaddi trophy, making the Iceman joining the franchise from the national capital a match made in heaven.

Featured photo: Pro Kabaddi

A World Cup winner, an Asian Games gold medallist and a recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri Award, raider Ajay Thakur has had a stellar career that continues to go from strength-to-strength even in his mid-30s.

Thakur has been part of the Indian kabaddi team for well over a decade and has played with or against the finest kabaddi players the nation has ever produced.

With a list of teammates so stellar, picking just seven players in his Dream Team was a huge ask for Thakur. So big, that he omitted himself from the team. Still, he managed to pick seven players that would make his Dream Team and it’s a team laced with Arjuna Awardees and World Champions.

Corners �?Dharmaraj Cheralathan and Joginder Singh

For the Left Corner spot, Thakur chose Dabang Delhi captain Joginder Singh.

The veteran has been a mainstay in the Pro Kabaddi since the inaugural season and scored 173 tackle points in 82 matches in Pro Kabaddi League. The veteran has been captain of Dabang Delhi for the past two campaigns and ended their playoff drought, leading them to the Pro Kabaddi League final in Season 7.

On the right flank, the former Indian skipper picked Dharmaraj Cheralathan.

The Haryana Steelers skipper led Patna Pirates to the title in Season 4 and has been one of the most consistent defenders in league history. ‘Anna�? as he is fondly known, was Thakur’s teammate during his time with the Bengaluru Bulls. Cheralathan is one of only eight defenders with over 250 tackle points in Pro Kabaddi league history.

Covers �?Pankaj Shirsat and Manjeet Chhillar

The Left Cover slot was a no-brainer, as Thakur picked friend and longtime teammate Manjeet Chhillar in that position.

Pro Kabaddi's all-time leading tackle point scorer with 339, Manjeet is a former league MVP and two-time winner of the league’s Best Defender Award. The veteran captained Thakur in the past and played under his tutelage at Tamil Thalaivas. A player worthy of kabaddi's Hall of Fame, if there ever was one.

For the Right Cover position, Thakur went for a player from the pre-Pro Kabaddi era of the sport in India, legend Pankaj Shirsat.

Shirsat, a police official like Thakur, played the majority of his career for Maharashtra and Air India and was the captain of the Indian team that won the 2007 World Cup. Shirsat, like Manjeet and Thakur, is a recipient of the Arjuna Award.

Raiders �?Anup Kumar, Rakesh Kumar and Dinesh Kumar

For the three raiders in the team, Thakur picked current Puneri Paltan coach Anup Kumar, current Haryana Steelers coach Rakesh Kumar and former Pro Kabaddi star Dinesh Kumar.

Anup Kumar, the first bonafide star of the Pro Kabaddi league, led U Mumba to three straight finals in the first three seasons of the Pro Kabaddi league, leading them to the title in Season 2. Anup was the first player to be named the league’s MVP and is still among the top 10 scorers in Pro Kabaddi history.

Anup's great friend and a legend of the sport, Rakesh Kumar was Thakur's second pick in the raiding unit. Part of the Patna Pirates in the first two seasons and U Mumba in Season 3, Rakesh was one of the most complete players of his generation. Rakesh has won multiple gold medals with India at continental competitions and scored 260 points in the Pro Kabaddi in 55 matches.

The final player Ajay picked is raider Dinesh Kumar, another who played his best kabaddi before the inception of the Pro Kabaddi league.

A part of India's World Cup-winning squad from 2007, Dinesh was a quality raider who was also bestowed with the Arjuna Award following that win. Dinesh played eight matches in Season 2 of the Pro Kabaddi league for the Bengal Warriors, scoring 19 points.

Feature image courtesy: ProKabaddi.com

We covered the highest scorers of the first six teams in alphabetical order earlier. Here are the leaders for the remaining six teams.

Patna Pirates �?Pardeep Narwal

Who else but the incomparable Pardeep Narwal leads the way in points scored for the Patna Pirates. The raider is the only player to score over 1000 points for a single team in the Pro Kabaddi league. Pardeep currently has 1160 points in 102 matches for the Patna Pirates. Pardeep has won two MVP awards, two Best Raider awards and three PKL titles with the Pirates.

Puneri Paltan �?Deepak Niwas Hooda

Before joining the Jaipur Pink Panthers in Season 6, Deepak Niwas Hooda spent three seasons with the Puneri Paltan and was the franchise’s marquee star throughout his run with them. Hooda played 61 matches for the Paltan and scored 392 points in 61 matches. The all-rounder is the only player to be leading point-scorer for two different franchises in PKL.

Tamil Thalaivas �?Ajay Thakur

Tamil Thalaivas have been the whipping boys in PKL since their entry into the league in Season 5, but one man who cannot be blamed for their terrible run is skipper Ajay Thakur. The revered raider has scored 484 points in 57 matches for the Thalaivas at an average of 8.49. Rahul Chaudhari, who has spent just one season with the franchise, is the team’s second-highest point scorer with 138. Speaking of Chaudhari..

Telugu Titans �?Rahul Chaudhari

By far the most iconic figure in Telugu Titans�?history, Rahul Chaudhari scored 876 points in 102 matches for the franchise in six seasons. Rahul couldn’t lead the Titans to a PKL title, but his personal stats are remarkable. His tally is the second-most by a player for a single team.

U Mumba �?Anup Kumar

Despite playing just five seasons for the team, the legendary Anup Kumar is still the leading point scorer for U Mumba. Anup scored 546 points in 80 matches for U Mumba and led them to three straight finals from Season 1-3 and winning the title with the team in Season 2. Anup was named the MVP of the maiden PKL campaign.

U.P. Yoddha �?Rishank Devadiga

One of PKL’s finest, Rishank Devadiga is the leading point-scorer for U.P. Yoddha with 351 points in 62 matches for the team. Devadiga was the team’s marquee signing ahead of their debut campaign in Season 5 and has been with the team since.

Feature image courtesy: ProKabaddi.com

When everything starts to crumble around us, we tend to look for the heroes. It has always been the same with “Ice-Man�?Ajay Thakur; an out-and-out kabaddi legend. Having rescued India on multiple occasions on the kabaddi mat with his raids, this time, he was seen standing firm while serving the Indian Police in a battle where we can only sit back and defend. 

As a Deputy Superintendent of Police with the Himachal Pradesh force, Ajay Thakur was spotted patrolling in Bilaspur in  Himachal Pradesh to make sure that people are staying indoors in the wake of probably the worst epidemic in the history of the world, COVID-19.

Ajay Thakur is one of the most successful kabaddi players in the country. He has won gold in the Asian Games and is ranked fourth in the Pro Kabaddi League’s all-time top raiders�?list with 790 raid points to his name.

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On duty # अभी भी सम�?है अपने घर रह�?ओर दूसरों क़�?भी बोले आप सब सहयो�?करें प्रशास�?का �?तभी �?मुमकिन है

A post shared by AJAY THAKUR (@ajaythakurkabaddi) on Mar 25, 2020 at 8:38am PDT

Apart from patrolling, Thakur also took to social media to raise awareness against the global pandemic. His post on Instagram read, "There is still time for you all to stay at home and also tell others. Cooperate with the administration. Only then it's possible,". In another video he posted on YouTube, Thakur said, �?I have seen that people are not taking it seriously even now. Saw 10-15 people talking to each other in groups on crossroads in villages. Please take this seriously�?

The pandemic is yet to show any signs of slowing down in the world. The 21-day-long nation-wide lockdown in India has been ordered by the government and people are asked to refrain from getting outside till April 15th. However, the general population is yet to realise the gravity of the situation and therefore the administration is asked to take strict steps against law-violators.

Feature image courtesy: Instagram / @ajaythakurkabaddi

A calm yet feisty face on the mat, Ajay Thakur has found his way from the muddy fields of his village to stardom, going on to receive the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2019. The 33-year-old’s journey has been nothing short of mesmerizing, with him taking on the reins of leading the Indian national Kabaddi team on the international stage.

His stellar debut season in the inaugural edition of Pro Kabaddi with Bengaluru Bulls set him on course to scale greater heights. In the 15 matches he played that season, Thakur racked up a total of 127 points. After spending the next three seasons, with Bengaluru and then Puneri Paltan, he joined Tamil Thalaivas in 2017, in what was going to be his best season to date. It’s here that he delivered a career-best tally of 222 total points with a whooping 12 Super 10s to add to that.

#Congratulations Eyes man. ..Ajay Thakur (KBD player ) Arjuna award samanit @thakurkabaddi @kabaddiWC @ProKabaddi pic.twitter.com/LneMib2yzv

�?Vipul Chauhan (@_Vipul_k_018_) August 30, 2019

This spurt in his overall presence on the mat came only after an inspiring World Cup campaign in 2016. Leading the raiding department from the front through the tournament, it’s in the final against Iran that Thakur showed his class. In a crisis situation, Thakur entered the opponent’s mat and came through with a four-point raid to propel India to World Cup glory.

However, despite tasting such success over the last three years, the veteran leader has been under stress off late. Captaining his side Tamil Thalaivas in the ongoing season, Thakur’s below-par performances have overshadowed his phenomenal record of the past two years. Averaging 9.68 and 9.22 raid points per match in the fifth and sixth season, respectively, Thakur’s record has fallen substantially in the current edition.

In his first 13 matches of season seven, the Indian Kabaddi captain has averaged a mere 4.46 raid points per match which clearly paints a worrisome picture for the Arjuna Awardee. Known for his ability to lift the team from a situation of crisis, Thakur has failed considerably in replicating that this time for the Thalaivas.

Although he has always been adored by his teammates who appreciate his innate leadership qualities, the prolific raider’s captaincy has also been questioned in recent times. This is largely due to Thalaivas�?poor campaigns in the two consecutive seasons earlier, where they found themselves in the bottom of their zone after the group stage.

The plight is still the same as the Thalaivas have been bulldozed further and are languishing yet again at the bottom of the table. The Thalaivas have looked far from an inspired unit under him and due to insufficient support from Rahul Chaudhari, Thakur’s resolve has fallen flat on its face. He has been benched frequently in the ongoing season as his cool demeanour seems to have lost its charm, especially in crucial encounters.

The veteran raider also doesn’t have the advantage of age on his side and really need to up is game to feature among the greatest yet again. Otherwise, the cliff is not far away if he continues to steamroll down the hill.  

Feature image courtesy: Star Sports & PKL

Just as in football, the forwards are entrusted to score goals, similarly, in Kabaddi, the raiders fight hard to garner points for their respective teams and lead them to victory. In the past six seasons, the raiders have come up with interesting moves to get the better of their opponents.

Ranging from toe-touch to back-kick to ‘dubki�?to scorpions kick, the raiders have been quick and agile over anything else. Here we take a look at the raiders who have garnered the maximum raid points over the years ahead of Pro Kabaddi 2019.

Pardeep Narwal (858 raid points)

Belonging from the state of Haryana, the ‘Dubki King�?made his debut with Bengaluru Bulls before going on to join the Patna Pirates in the third season, where he cemented his place in their frontline for the next five years. Pardeep has scored a humongous total of 865 raid points from just 85 matches in his PKL career.

He was adjudged the league’s ‘Most Valuable Player�?in two consecutive seasons (season four and five). Alongside all this, the raider also holds the record for the most points scored in a single season (369), the highest points in a single game (34) and the most points in a single raid (8). He is one of the most consistent performers in PKL who is growing stronger with every passing day.

Rahul Chaudhari (825 raid points)

The ‘Poster Boy�?of Indian Kabaddi has deservedly earned the title of the ‘Raid Machine�? A part of the Telugu Titans setup since its inception, it’s the first time that he will turn up for another team in PKL - Tamil Thalaivas.

A top-notch raider, he possesses a unique knack of attacking from both sides �?right and left, which adds further dimensional to his game. In 100 PKL matches, Chaudhari has scored 825 raid points so far and is giving Pardeep a tough competition in clinching the top spot.

Deepak Niwas Hooda (710 raid points)

The Jaipur Pink Panthers�?charismatic leader has already tasted huge success at the international level when he lifted the Kabaddi World Cup back in 2016. His story in PKL, however, is not that different.

Hooda started his PKL career with Telegu Titans in 2014, then shifted to Puneri Paltans in 2016 before joining the Jaipur bandwagon from season six. In this season, he became the He was the most successful all-rounder as well with 208 points to his name. With his athletic build, Hooda’s ability to snatch crucial points for his team never goes in vain, especially during do-or-die raids. He has garnered a total of 785 points from 103 PKL matches.

Ajay Thakur (732 raid points)

The Indian national Kabaddi team captain remains one of the most effective raiders in the competition. And his ‘never-say-die�?attitude has given us some memorable comebacks over the years. His signature frog jump is his most lethal weapon and a defender’s nightmare.

Having played for Bengaluru Bulls and Puneri Paltan before, Thakur was the captain of Tamil Thalaivas since its inception in 2017. In a total of 102 matches played so far in PKL till season six, Thakur has scored 732 raid points that includes 21 super raids and 28 Super 10s.

Rohit Kumar (526 raid points)

The Bengaluru Bulls captain has gradually become an epitome of inspiration for his teammates with his performance on the mat and his leadership qualities in crunch situations. A great raider, his ability to make quick decisions has saved Bengaluru on multiple occasions in the past.

He began his PKL career as a part of the Patna Pirates unit, before becoming a part of the Bulls whom he led to their first-ever PKL title in 2018. In 72 matches over the seasons, Rohit has 526 raid points to his name. He is also the first player ever to score 30 points in a PKL match, a feat he achieved in season five.

Feature image courtesy: Star Sports & PKL

Over the years, Pro Kabaddi has seen extraordinary raiders pull off incredible raids, going on to single-handedly win matches for their team. Speed, athletism, strength and quick thinking are the essentials of any player who want to make the raiding department their own.

From swift toe touches to powerful frog jumps to crafty hand touches, a raider has to have every arsenal in his bag to get the better of the opponent. In such scenarios, overcoming the 10-point barrier in a single match is quite an impossible task, but some of the most flamboyant raiders in the PKL circuit makes it look like a mere formality.

Here we take a look at the top five players who have garnered the most number of Super 10’s in PKL history ahead of season seven.

Pardeep Narwal (44)

Patna Pirates crown jewel, Pardeep Narwal has risen to greatness courtesy of his unique ability to outsmart opposition defences. He became the first player in league history to acquire 1000 raid points in the ongoing seventh season adding another feather to his cap. Over his illustrious career in PKL, Pardeep has etched his name in history books. With his signature ‘Dubki�? he has successfully completed 44 Super 10s in a mere 85 before entering season seven.

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The Record-Breaker Pardeep Narwal adds another feather in his - becoming the first player to score 1000 points in #VIVOProKabaddi!

Keep watching the #CHEvPAT action, LIVE on Star Sports and Hotstar. #IsseToughKuchNahi pic.twitter.com/zzTz572Utw

�?ProKabaddi (@ProKabaddi) September 9, 2019

However, his most notable accomplishment came back in the fifth season when he scored 369 raid points and was almost 150 points clear of the second most successful raider of the season.  

Rahul Chaudhari (36)

After a long and successful stint with Telugu Titans, Rahul Chaudhari turned his boat to the shores of Tamil Thalaivas for the seventh season. He is one of the swiftest raiders in the game leading the charge with his ‘running hand touch�?move, leaving no time for the opponent player to react.

The ‘Raid Machine�?completed eight Super 10s in his fifth season equalling his record from the first season in PKL. Till the start of the seventh season, Rahul had 36 Super 10s to his name with that number expected to significantly improve in the ongoing season.

Ajay Thakur (28)

A true leader, Ajay Thakur was the driving force in India’s triumph at the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup. Playing for the Tamil Thalaivas for a third consecutive season, Ajay is known for his ‘Frog Jump�?leaving the defenders in their trail. With his height playing a significant role in his success over the years, the 6ft 1inch also scored a Super 10 in the final of the 2016 World Cup.

Another testament to the legend this Thalaiva is!

Congratulations to Ajay Thakur on being conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award. pic.twitter.com/ReNmr5ELBc

�?ProKabaddi (@ProKabaddi) August 29, 2019

With 28 PKL Super 10s to his name, Ajay Thakur is going toe-to-toe with some of the best in the sport. 

Deepak Niwas Hooda (24)

Deepak Niwas Hooda is one of the most versatile all-rounders in the game presently. His most successful campaign was season six where he displayed immense promise as he racked up 208 points to his name.

Deepak has played a pivotal role in saving his teams from tricky situations over the past, with his pace and sturdy defensive abilities being his shield. Till season six, Deepak had 24 Super 10s to his name alongside four High 5s - a remarkable feat.

Maninder Singh (23)

The witty and calculative raider from Bengal Warriors, Maninder Singh has registered 23 Super 10s in only 59 PKL appearances, ahead of season seven. He played an instrumental role in the inaugural season of the league when he took Jaipur Pink Panthers to glory.

Earning 206 raid points for Bengal in season six, Maninder has earned the trust of his coaches and the team owners, the reason he has been made the captain the ongoing season. His role in India’s victory at the Asian Kabaddi Championship in 2017 was also nothing short of exemplary. 

Feature image courtesy: Star Sports & PKL