New trends have emerged at the half-way stage of season VI of the Pro Kabaddi league.
IF THE 2018 Pro Kabaddi auction in June was anything to go by, established notions and patterns faced a challenge this season. It’s panned out exactly that way. At the half-way mark of season VI’s league stage, which wrapped up with U Mumba’s home leg in Mumbai on November 15, new stars seem to have replaced older faces, a foreign coach has marshalled his team to the top of the predominantly Indian league and playing at home doesn’t necessarily yield an advantage to a side any more.
“This season is different from the first five seasons,” says India and Tamil Thalaivas captain Ajay Thakur. “Almost all the teams are equally strong, and there are more shock results to come. The reason for that is many new faces have made a mark this season.”U Mumba’s Siddharth Desai, 26, may have been a little late in making his league debut, but he has come into his own in his maiden season. The 6’2” tall raider notched up 100 raid points during the match against Gujarat Fortune Giants, reaching the milestone in only nine matches, becoming the joint fastest-tothe-mark with Telugu Titans talisman Rahul Chaudhuri.
This story is from the December 2018 edition of Sports Illustrated India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2018 edition of Sports Illustrated India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Hockey World Cup- India Gears Up For Glory
Hosts India will have to play out of their skins to win their second Hockey Men’s World Cup title.
The Drive For Consistency
Find something you love doing and use that to fall in love with your body, so you can embrace change and sustain a pattern that lets you unlock the best version of yourself
The Phenomenon
Kevin Pietersen may have retired from playing, but he will remain a part of the game and Test cricket folklore for a long time
Powering The Action
The IPL is intense. Players let off the fireworks on the pitch, but it is the coaches and support staff that light the fuses. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED traces the evolution of this critical aspect of the game, and why Indians still need to make a mark
A Steep Learning Curve
Making the transition from the junior level to the senior team has been quite challenging but a hugely rewarding experience.
Scorecard - Don't Blame It on Rio
Apathy towards the Olympics could cast golf in a negative light and jeo paradise its standing with the IOC for the 2024 Games and beyond.
Bench Strength
With the Likes of Nair, Yadav, Jadhav and Chahal Performing With Maturity Over the Past Year, Team India’s Bench Strength Looks Strong Ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Sir Roger Bannister (1929-2018)
A legend in his own time, Sir Roger was most proud of his neurology research but his historic sub-four mile run in 1954 is still regarded as one of his best breakthroughs
Battle Ready
A star-studded Indian contingent seeks to reshape its approach with rising talent, even as seasoned warriors in badminton, weight-lifting, shooting and wrestling aim for gold
Safe Passage
The Dustup That Marred the Return of Chris Paul to L.a. Has Faded. As the Point God Settles Into a New Home, He Has a New Running Buddy and a Group of Teammates Who Feel Like a Family
