Kabaddi
Vivo Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) - Top New Young Players of Season 9
With the Season 9 of VIVO Pro Kabaddi League's group stage nearing completion, a peak into the top young performers of the Season.
Tamil Thalaivas Narender in action against Jaipur Pink
This edition of the VIVO Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) too revealed a bunch of young stars who left a mark on the mat with their stunning performances throughout the season. As the league stages near its close, let us take a closer look at 5 top New Young Players (NYP) whose talent caught our eyes-
Ankush Rathee
Team- Jaipur Pink Panthers
Role and Importance - Defender - Left Corner; Ankush, with 72 successful tackles, and 7 High 5s, leads both the charts for this season. This powerhouse raider has strengthened the Panthers' defence and taken down the best of raiders with his signature ankle hold. The debutant has served the team well and is a strong contender for the left corner position on the Indian team as well.
Stats- Matches Played - 21; Total Points Earned - 76
| No. of Super Tackles | High 5s | Total Tackle Points | Avg. Successful Tackles / Match | Total Tackles | Tackle Success Rate |
| 4 | 7 | 76 | 3.62 | 117 | 62% |
Parteek Dahiya
Team- Gujarat Giants
Role and Importance - All-Rounder; Parteek has secured a place in most of the top-10 charts this season, and is considered Gujarat Giants' find of the season. With excellent reach, footwork, and upper-body strength, this all-rounder is the second-best raider for the team. He too is a fresh face in the team and is unique amidst coach Ram Mehar Singh's defence-oriented lineups.
Stats- Matches Played - 18; Total Points Earned- 171; Not-Out Rate - 78.48%
| Total Raids | Successful Raids % | No. of Super Raids | Super 10s | Total Raid Points | Avg. Raid Points / Match | Total Tackles | Tackle Success Rate |
| 223 | 52% | 3 | 10 | 166 | 9.22 | 32 | 16% |
Akash Shinde
Team- Puneri Paltan
Role and Importance - Fresh out of Yuva Paltan, Puneri Paltan's youth academy, Akash came to the front when the side's lead raider, Aslam was injured. He's the third component of Puneri Paltan's raiding troika alongside Aslam Inamdar and Mohit Goyat. He fits into the raiding core of the team and plays the role of reviving his raiders. He has a raiding success ratio of 1:2 and an impressive not-out percentage.
Stats- Matches Played- 20; Total Points Earned - 134; Not-Out Rate- 76.92%
| Total Raids | Successful Raids % | No. of Super Raids | Super 10s | Total Raid Points | Avg. Raid Points / Match | Total Tackles | Tackle Success Rate |
| 195 | 51% | 5 | 5 | 131 | 6.55 | 7 | 43% |
Narender Kandola
Team- Tamil Thalaivas
Role and Importance - Raider; With 220 raid points to his name, Narender is the Season's 5th-best raider. With the star raider Pawan Sehrawat ruled out during the early days of the tournament, Narender had to fill in his shoes and shoulder the raiding responsibility. He has delivered, no matter the situation and irrespective of the opposition. He has showcased commendable composure and has definitely been integral in steering the Tamil Thalaivas into the Play-Offs.
Stats- Matches Played- 21; Total Points Earned- 224; Not-Out Rate - 77.75 %
