"I wanted to retire after playing for Telugu Titans for the last time" - Rahul Chaudhari shares reason behind retirement from PKL [Exclusive]
Rahul Chaudhari, famously known as the "Showman" of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), took his fans by surprise when he announced his retirement from the league in August 2024.
A veteran of the sport and one of its most celebrated players, Rahul's decision came after he went unsold during the PKL Season 11 auction. While fans were left speculating, Rahul recently opened up about the reasons behind his decision and shared insights into his future plans.
Talking to Sportskeeda, Rahul revealed that he had initially hoped to retire while playing for his first franchise, Telugu Titans, but things did not go as planned. Despite stepping away from PKL as a player, Rahul remains connected to the league as an expert and is determined to continue contributing to kabaddi in other ways.
"I had spoken to my first franchise (Telugu Titans) and told them that I am going to retire only from Pro Kabaddi League. I wanted to retire after playing for Telugu Titans for the last time, but that could not happen," Rahul Chaudhari said.
"After going unsold in the auction, I thought that this is not good at all for a big player. That is why I immediately announced my retirement. Since seasons 9 and 10 of Pro Kabaddi League, it was going on in my mind that now it is enough," he added.
Rahul’s illustrious PKL career spanned 10 seasons, during which he represented teams like Telugu Titans, Tamil Thalaivas, Puneri Paltan, and Jaipur Pink Panthers. Notably, he won the title in Season 9 with Jaipur. He is one of the few players to have scored over 1000 raid points in PKL history.
Chaudhari's future aspirations and plans
Although Rahul Chaudhari has retired from PKL, he clarified that his journey in kabaddi is far from over. He shared his plans to play at the national level and expressed a desire to train the next generation of kabaddi players.
"I am not so old that I don't want to play. I am going to be available to play in the nationals. I have to show that I still have a lot of kabaddi left in me and I am not old enough to retire yet," he stated.
Rahul also announced his vision to open a free kabaddi academy for children.
"Apart from this, I want to open such a kabaddi academy where no child has to pay fees. There are many talented children who do not have access to an academy. I have seen the time when we used to ask for money for kabaddi and we were refused. They can give us 10 thousand for studies, but they do not want to give for sports. That is why I want to open such an academy where children do not face so many problems," the star raider added.
Rahul Chaudhari's all-time PKL playing 7
During the interview, Rahul revealed his all-time PKL playing 7. Alongside himself, he included Ajay Thakur (as captain), Sukesh Hegde, Fazel Atrachalli, Sunil Kumar, Reza Mirbagheri, and Sahul Kumar.
Rahul Chaudhari's retirement marks the end of an era in PKL, but his contributions to the sport continue to inspire countless fans and budding players.