How to raid in Kabaddi?
Kabaddi is scaling new heights with the fifth instalment of the Pro Kabaddi League all set to feature four new teams in the likes of UP Yoddhas, Tamil Thalaivas, Haryana Steelers and Gujarat Fortune Giants.
The season will span across 10 states of India and will feature almost 140 matches taking place through the duration of three months, with the final scheduled to take place in Chennai on the 28th of October.
But before the season starts, let's go back to the basics of kabaddi. What does it mean to attack in kabaddi? How does a team manage to keep the scoreboard ticking?
Well, akin to how one scores a goal in football, in kabaddi, a player has to manage to score a successful raid point in the rival half in terms of attack.
What is a raid? It's the phase of the game when a player enters the opponents' court after crossing the mid line in order to fetch a point by getting a touch on any of the defenders present on the mat.
What is essential for a raid to be legal? The player must begin his chant of "kabaddi" before crossing the mid line and continue to do so until he returns to his own side. Once into the rival half, the player must also cross his foot over what is called the baulk line, in order to make his raid legal.
From which side do the raiders enter the rival half of the court? Well, they can do so from either side, right or left. For instance, Anup Kumar is a right raider while Deepak Hooda is a left raider. Some players have the unique ability to raid from either side, such as Rahul Chaudhari.
What are the different techniques to fetch raid points? There are numerous ways of securing a point when on a raid, the key ones are listed as follows:
Hand Touch: Quite simply, the raider touches the defender with his hand. However, it is not as simple as it sounds and requires years of practice to master this skill. The key element is to take advantage of the slight lapse on the defenders' part and swiftly get the hand touch on the arms, shoulder or across the chest. Specialist: Rahul Chaudhari
Toe Touch: The raiders generally make use of this technique when they avoid going near the defenders and from a safe distance, touch the defender with their feet. For this to be successful, one needs a flexible lower body to execute the long stretch of legs combined with a sense of timing. Specialist: Anup Kumar
Kick: Usually, when there are around four or fewer defenders on the court, the raiders maintain a safe distance and plan their attack on the cover defenders by initiating a back or front kick in order to gain a point. Specialist: Jasvir Singh
Jump: One of the most exciting skills for the viewers is when the raider executes a jump from the mat over a defender or in many cases over a chain of defenders to plan his escape towards his own half. Specialist: Sandeep Narwal
Dubki: When the raider manages to get a point while bowing below the arm span of a host of defenders and effectively escaping from their clutches. Agility and speed combined with power are the key aspects for this skill to be executed. Specialist: Pardeep Narwal
Bonus: The bonus point comes into effect only when there are 6 or more defenders on the mat. It requires the raider to cross the bonus line with one foot touching the mat inside that particular line while the other foot is in the air and not grounded outside that area. Specialist: Jang Kun Lee
Can the raiders amass more than one point on a given raid? Yes, they can do so by getting touches of more than one defender. In addition to that they can get a combination of touch and bonus point, if the bonus is active.