Five all-rounders who proved to be best in vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 7

A good all-rounder is an invaluable asset in kabaddi, as it provides a team with tactical flexibility and a dual-threat on the mat. A number of all-rounders made important contributions to their teams in vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 7, be it defence, offence or both, and here, we take a look at the most successful ones from the campaign gone by.

1. Deepak Niwas Hooda – Jaipur Pink Panthers

Jaipur Pink Panthers skipper Deepak Niwas Hooda was the league’s most successful all-rounder for the fourth season running, finishing the campaign with 158 points. His raiding numbers were particularly impressive as he scored 146 which included seven Super 10s. In defence, he managed 12 tackle points with two Super Tackles. Hooda delivered his two best performances of the campaign against Haryana Steelers, scoring 14 points against them twice.

2. Rohit Gulia – Gujarat Fortunegiants

Gujarat Fortunegiants’ all-rounder Rohit Gulia had the best campaign of his vivo Pro Kabaddi career, finishing the season with a team-leading, 142 points in 22 appearances. Gulia’s tally in Season 7 was more than twice than what he managed in Season 6. Gulia managed four Super 10s in the latest campaign after not scoring one in his first two seasons. Gulia’s performances prompted coach Manpreet Singh to hand the all-rounder the mantle of captaincy in the absence of skipper Sunil Kumar.

3. Mohammad Esmaeil Nabibakhsh – Bengal Warriors

Iranian Mohammad Esmaeil Nabibakhsh was the subject of a lot of interest before the campaign and the all-rounder showed just why with his performances in Season 7. Nabibakhsh scored 122 points which included a Super 10 and a High 5. Nabibakhsh’s ability to make an impact on both sides of the mat came in handy throughout the season for Bengal Warriors. He skippered the side in the playoffs and led his team in scoring in the final with 10 points in their come-from-behind victory over Dabang Delhi K.C. Nabibakhsh also became the first foreign captain to hoist the vivo Pro Kabaddi trophy.

4. Farhad Milaghardan – Telugu Titans

Another Iranian that had a big impact on his team’s fortunes was Telugu Titans’ Farhad Milaghardan, who finished his campaign with 78 points. Farhad’s points tally this season was more the total number of points he managed in Season 5 and 6 combined (75). The all-rounder scored his first career Super 10 against Puneri Paltan in Match 119 and delivered another 10-point performance against Haryana Steelers in Match 121.

5. Sandeep Narwal – U Mumba

Veteran Sandeep Narwal had a campaign to remember with U Mumba in Season 7, as he scored 76 points and was a key cog of the team that went all the way to the semi-finals. Operating in the Right Corner position, Narwal scored 56 tackle points which included two High 5s, making him the team’s most successful defender behind skipper Fazel Atrachali. Narwal had seldom opportunities to showcase his raiding abilities, but he did manage 20 raid points.