Hot Blood
Sports Illustrated India|November 2018

Pro Kabaddi League’s emerging talents have tempered the disappointment of India’s Asian Games campaign

Deepti Patwardhan
Hot Blood

NOT TOO MANY outside kabaddi’s circle knew of Siddharth Desai a month ago. But only three weeks into the 2018 Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), he has become the talk of the town. The 27-year-old had already set a league record of being the fastest to 50 raid points—reaching the milestone in four matches—one less than stalwarts Anup Kumar and Ajay Thakur. After five matches in the PKL, he has scored 66 raid points.

The U Mumba raider was also the architect of one of Season VI’s most memorable moments thus far. With two defenders—the only two on the mat—tackling him close to the mid-line, Desai valiantly stretched his fingertips for safety. When that endeavour failed, he wriggled his lower body and managed to swing one leg past the mid-line to affect the all out.

The move—in a high pressure game against hosts Puneri Paltan that U Mumba eventually lost 32–33—was not only eye-catching but confirmed Desai’s status as one of the league’s best young talents. “He is a rookie,” says Tamil Thalaivas coach E. Bhaskaran. “But he is playing like a seasoned player. He has energy and power.”

Though Desai is new to the league, he has played for Air India and won the Nationals with Maharashtra last year. The rise of the lanky lad from a small town in Kolhapur was just the kind of inspirational stories Indian kabaddi required after the poor Asian Games showing. The sport endured a turbulent September after the Indian men’s national team—seven-time defending champions—lost in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games semi-finals, failing to reach the continental mega event’s final for the first time since the sport’s introduction into the Games in 1990.

This story is from the November 2018 edition of Sports Illustrated India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the November 2018 edition of Sports Illustrated India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED INDIAView All
Hockey World Cup- India Gears Up For Glory
Sports Illustrated India

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.

time-read
10 mins  |
December 2018
The Drive For Consistency
Sports Illustrated India

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

time-read
3 mins  |
May 2018
The Phenomenon
Sports Illustrated India

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

time-read
4 mins  |
May 2018
Powering The Action
Sports Illustrated India

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

time-read
9 mins  |
May 2018
A Steep Learning Curve
Sports Illustrated India

A Steep Learning Curve

Making the transition from the junior level to the senior team has been quite challenging but a hugely rewarding experience.

time-read
4 mins  |
August 2016
Scorecard - Don't Blame It on Rio
Sports Illustrated India

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.

time-read
5 mins  |
June - July 2016
Bench Strength
Sports Illustrated India

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.

time-read
9 mins  |
March 2017
Sir Roger Bannister (1929-2018)
Sports Illustrated India

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

time-read
2 mins  |
April 2018
Battle Ready
Sports Illustrated India

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

time-read
9 mins  |
April 2018
Safe Passage
Sports Illustrated India

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

time-read
10+ mins  |
April 2018