Parddep Narwal takes a selfie with the PKL team captains.
| Photo Credit: K R DEEPAK
There is a thin line between acclaim and adoration, between fandom and devotion. If there is one player in Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) history that crossed that line, it’s Pardeep Narwal.
Going unsold in the player auction was the final nail in the coffin as Narwal — labelled the Record Breaker for his outstanding feats as a raider — announced his retirement.
“I did feel that I could play more, if not for me, then for the fans,” he admitted in a media interaction here on Friday. Narwal has kept busy and is set to inaugurate his academy in a few days. The best tributes to Narwal’s legacy comes best from those who had to train him or prepare to face him.
“Even today, when we do video sessions, we model Pardeep. There are times when the defence would completely catch Pardeep but he finds a way and wriggles out,” two-time PKL-winning coach B.C. Ramesh – who is in charge of Bengaluru Bulls this season – exclaimed. “God gave kabaddi a player like this, with the name of Pardeep Narwal,” he added.
The 28-year-old leaves as the most prolific raider in PKL history, having scored 1,801 raid points at an average of 9.47 per match.
Published – August 29, 2025 10:40 pm IST
