Pro Kabaddi League: Rahul Chaudhari and Deepak Hooda make history in season 9

The Jaipur Pink Panthers raider achieved the task in his 139th game during an encounter against Dabang Delhi.

Rahul is a decorated kabaddi superstar in the country, and his raiding exploits are known to have originated way before Pardeep Narwal and Pawan Sehrawat's entry into the sport.

Affectionately known as Showman, he has appeared in every season of the Pro Kabaddi League and is among the most desirable raiders. A day after the news was announced, PKL surprised fans with another piece of crucial information.

Former Indian Captain and ace all-rounder Deepak Niwas Hooda became the fourth player to 1000 raid points in league history. He surpassed the margin during his match against Gujarat Giants today. 

Despite being an all-rounder by trait, he now has 1000 raid points and 94 tackle points to his credit. The ninth season saw Maninder Singh, Rahul Chaudhari and Deepak Hooda creating history by crossing the 1000 points milestone. 

Let's look at how Rahul and Deepak have fared throughout the league.

Rahul Chaudhari's PKL journey

Rahul was in the Telugu Titans for six seasons before switching to Tamil Thalaivas in season seven. He joined Puneri Paltan in season eight before being snapped up by former champions Jaipur Pink Panthers for the ninth edition.

He scored 151 raid points in the inaugural season and was celebrated as the second-best raider that year. He played with utmost consistency the next two seasons, and in season four, he scored 146 raid points and led Telugu Titans to the playoffs for the second time.

He couldn't become the best raider for the second time in a row despite scoring 184 raid points in season five. His side couldn't progress to the playoffs.

He raked in 159 raid points in his final season with the Titans, but they finished fifth in Group B and couldn't qualify for the top six. After joining the Tamil Thalaivas, he became the team's top raider with 130 raid points. 

However, he needed help to outshine other raiders like Pawan Sehrawat, Pardeep Narwal and Naveen Kumar. His switch to Puneri Paltan was followed by a dull season where he was mainly benched. In seven games, he scored 35 raids and managed 13 points.

In season nine, Rahul is a support raider for the Jaipur Pink Panthers, who bought him for INR 10 lakhs this year. He is also occasionally deployed in a left-corner position in defence. 

Rahul's steady downfall has cast a shadow on his career, but he remains a compelling presence as an all-rounder. 

Deepak Hooda's PKL Journey

Haryana-born Deepak Niwas Hooda landed the second-highest bid in the first-ever auction of the league from Telugu Titans. In his first two seasons, he scored 89 and 96 points, respectively.

The 27-year-old switched to Puneri Paltan in the third season and secured a whopping tally of raid points over three seasons. As a part of the Pune-based team, he claimed his spot as one of the best all-rounders of the league. 

Due to his remarkable heroics in PKL, Deepak became the captain of the Indian national team. He captained the Jaipur Pink Panthers following a shift from Puneri Paltan and secured 208 raid points in his first season as a Panther.

He plays for the Bengal Warriors as a support raider to Maninder Singh. Although his game lacks the same finesse as earlier, his ankle holds, and hand touches are still tactics to watch out for!