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Published 10:57 IST, November 30th 2023

Explained: How Pro Kabaddi League led to 'reinvention' of one of India's oldest sport

Know how the Pro Kabaddi League led to a revolution to one of India's oldest sport, Kabaddi ahead of the 2023 edition of the tournament

Reported by: Saksham Nagar
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Pro Kabaddi League
A glimpse of a Pro Kabaddi League match | Image: Pro Kabaddi League

The 2023 edition of the world's largest Kabaddi league is just less than 10 days away as Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 will start from December 2 in Ahmedabad. Gujarat Giants and Telugu Titans are all set to take on each other in the opening match of the PKL 10. The premier Kabaddi tournament has returned to its old format as it was before the COVID-19 pandemic and will be played across 12 cities. 

3 things you need to know

  • Jaipur Pink Panthers are the defending champions of the Pro Kabaddi League 
  • Patna Pirates are the most successful team in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League and has won a total of three titles
  • The league phase of the PKL 10 will end on February 21 in Panchkula 

ALSO READ | Fazel Atrachali Named Captain of Gujarat Giants for PKL Season 10

How has the Pro Kabaddi League brought a revolution in one of the oldest sports in India? 

Starting in the year 2014, the Pro Kabaddi League has become the second name of Kabaddi on the world stage. The PKL has given the world representation to one of the oldest sports in India. Kabaddi is a sport which was born and brought up in India and is also the major reason behind their dominance in the sport. However, ahead of the 2014 Pro Kabaddi League, nobody in India knew much about Kabaddi and very less people knew about Indian Kabaddi legends such as Anup Kumar, Navneet Gautam, Manpreet Singh, Manjeet Chhillar and Ajay Thakur. 

However, since the arrival of the Pro Kabaddi League, these players received the importance they deserved and became household names. The PKL has also become a gateway for the Indian Kabaddi players to make a direct entry into the Indian Kabaddi team. Before the PKL, the Indian players had to undergo various trials if they wished to make it to the Indian side. 

Apart from these reasons, the Pro Kabaddi League has also provided a platform for international players from countries like Iran, South Korea and Japan to make their name in Kabaddi. Iran has come out to be India's toughest competitor in the field of Kabaddi and snatched the gold medal from India in the 2018 Asian Games. 

ALSO READ | Fazel Atrachali & Mohammad Nabibaksh join Gujarat Giants Camp ahead of PKL Season 10

What to expect from Pro Kabaddi League season 10? 

Season 10 of the Pro Kabaddi League is expected to be full of action as the tournament has returned to its old format. With a total of 12 teams taking part in PKL 10, any team can win the title due to the variety of players each team has. However, Jaipur Pink Panthers, Puneri Paltan, U Mumba and Bengaluru Bulls can be seen as favourites to win the title. 

Updated 16:06 IST, December 26th 2023