Pro Kabaddi League: Pardeep Narwal set about finding his top form again in PKL 9

He is currently the best raider in the world, having notched up 1404 raid points, 70 Super 10s and 67 Super Raids over his career. 

However, his form has been patchy lately. His ruling era, which has survived five seasons so far, is threatened by younger raiders. He finished with 188 points, a significant downgrade, in the last season of PKL. 

So the experienced raider has now kicked off a new endeavour that involves rediscovering his former self. 

How will Pardeep Narwal rise to his top form?

The first step toward rediscovery requires him to maintain a strict diet. He has to avoid his favourite food items - sweets, ghee and milk. "Our food consists of a lot of ghee and milk. I'm not allowed to have either during the season," he said. 

"But it's only for a matter of two months," he stated playfully. In 2021, he lost weight halfway through the season to be productive during matches. 

Jasveer Singh is monitoring his growth, coach of UP Yoddhas, who threw in a crucial piece of advice, "eat right and train hard; the results will follow."

Narwal shared that he became 80 from 84 kgs, and his coach has now prodded him to lose one more kilogram. "I've honestly given up on sweets. It's helped me lose weight and improve my and the team's performances," the 22-year-old revealed.

Pro Kabaddi League: What changed for Pardeep Narwal over the years?

The dip in Pardeep Narwal's performance over the last two seasons has called for a series of sacrifices to be made. He admitted that he was a different player between seasons three and seven but has yet to excel in the following league editions. 

When asked about his slump, he said it could either be inadequate practice or his fitness. He realised he needed to work hard to retain his prowess on the mat. 

Is Pardeep Narwal's dubki not as effective anymore?

Over the years, Pardeep Narwal's signature move, the dubki, stopped threatening defenders. They have figured out how to counter the attack, so the star raider is now looking to tweak his style.

He deployed his beloved arsenal - the dubki - in a few matches, which did not bring desired results. Currently, his coach is teaching him new skills to counter defenders' attacks. 

Opposition teams started to design their respective playing styles specifically to curb his knack for high scoring. However, in season nine, he returned with renewed hopes and a fresh vision. 

After securing 19 points in three games, he snapped up 37 in his last three matches. He has even started to extend and break records, becoming the first player to cross 1400 raid points. 

His target this season is to surpass 600 raid points. So the Dubki King has new tricks up his sleeve. It is yet to be seen whether his tactics work against a dynamic roster of young defenders.