NEWS
He is the youngest player in Vivo Pro Kabaddi League, the first player born in the 21st century to play for PKL. One of the top ten scorers at the end of the league entry in Dabang Delhi’s changed their fortune forever. His immense sincerity, potential, and hard work make him stand out among the rest. The world is his oyster, and his path towards success has just begun. Let’s glimpse into the exciting life story of kabaddi player Naveen Kumar.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Naveen Kumar |
| Age | 19 |
| Sport Category | Kabaddi |
| Date of Birth | February 14, 2000 |
| Hometown | Sultanpur, Haryana, India |
| Height | 5 ft 10 inches |
| Weight | 76 kg |
| Teams Played for | Dabang Delhi |
| Playing Position | Raider |
Naveen was first introduced to the world of kabaddi by his grandfather, a wrestler when he was just seven-years-old. Moreover, since he was growing up in Bhiwani – the land which has also given Parvesh Bhainswal – there weren’t many options than playing kabaddi.
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The player’s passion for the sport grew leaps and bounds. Naveen Kumar represented his school in junior national championships and university championships. He went on to feature in the U-17 Championships before going to play at the national level. There, Kumar emerged as the best raider.
He completed his Higher Secondary Education in Physical Studies from Kuk University. During the earlier days of his life, Naveen Kumar had to juggle between his personal and family life, kabaddi and education.
“I received the support of my family and childhood coach and realised that I have to do something in the field of Kabaddi,” Naveen said in an interview.
He went on to secure a job with Air Force in 2018.
Kumar’s performance attracted many teams in the Pro-Kabaddi League; ultimately, he got a call for trials from Dabang Delhi KC. As expected, he did not fail to impress the selectors.
The youngster was bought by the owner of the Dabang Delhi K.C. Team for INR 6.6 lakh. He debuted in style with 22 matches in his first season and 177 points. He also impressed one and all by scoring 26 do-or-die points. His performance against Jaipur Pink Panthers was very noteworthy. Kumar made a Super 10 and scored 12 raid points from just 18 raids.
In a telephonic interview with the Firstpost, he said, It was my first season, and I played amid senior players and coaches and they guided me on how to work on my footwork and strategy of how to go about things. Learned that it is a team game and have to work for the betterment of the team. To think about how to lead the team forward. I worked on giving my best in my first season, and it worked.
The youngster is being given extra attention by the coach Krishnan Kumar Hooda and captain Joginder Singh Narwal.
“Be it Hooda sahib, Joginder bhaisaheb, Ravinder bhaisahab (veteran defender Ravinder Pahal) or a champion player like Vishal Mane, they always guide me and tell me about the mistakes that I can avoid and how can I target opponents’ weaknesses and score points,” he adds. “Our seniors players go out of their way to help and guide us,” he told espn.in.
The Delhi team has finally found a fine balance between balance and offence. The current season has been exceptional for the franchise.
| SEASONS | OVERALL | SEASON 7 | SEASON 6 |
|---|
| Matches Played | 34 | 12 | 22 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Points Earned | 324 | 147 | 177 |
| Most Points in a Match | 16 | 16 | 15 |
| Not Out % | 83.36 | 88.33 | 79.47 |
| Total Raids | 547 | 240 | 307 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Successful Raids | 58.13 | 60.83 | 56.02 |
| No of Super Raids | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Super 10s | 19 | 11 | 8 |
| Total Raid Points | 318 | 146 | 172 |
| Average Raid Points/Match | 9.35 | 12.16 | 7.81 |
| No of Super Tackles | 1 | – | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| High 5s | – | – | – |
| Total Tackle Points | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| Average Tackle/Match | 0.14 | 0.08 | 0.18 |
| Total Tackles | 16 | 4 | 12 |
| Tackle Strike Rate | 37.5 | 25 | 41.66 |
“My only goal is to help the team win. If the team goals are met, the individual goals will take care of themselves,” he says.
Instead of just focusing on individual numbers, he is always focusing on the team performance. His humility at such a young age is extremely impressive.
Naveen’s signature move is the running hand touch. His agility and ability to score under pressure perfectly complement the move.
“I really like the running hand touch as it requires a lot of speed and skill besides high fitness levels. But I think I can also execute the toe touch and frog jump well as it is imperative to keep the defenders guessing,” he said in an interview with ESPN.
Naveen’s ultimate dream is to represent the country at the international level and earn laurels. The youngster is talented, humble, and hard-working. Considering his performance in the PKL, Naveen is sure to reach new heights.
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