Rahul Chaudhari PKL Team 2023: Which team is the 'Raid Machine' playing for in PKL 2023?
Rahul Chaudhari is one of the biggest names in Indian Kabaddi and the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). He will continue to play for defending champions Jaipur Pink Panthers in the ongoing season.
Released by the Panthers ahead of the PKL Season 10 auction, Rahul was placed in the 'C' category. The veteran raider went unsold in the first round, but Jaipur Pink Panthers bought him back for his base price of ₹13 Lakhs in the second.
Rahul has had a staggering PKL career. He is the first-ever player to score 500, 700, and 800 raid points in the league. Apart from winning the Pro Kabaddi with the Pink Panthers last season, he was also a part of the Indian team that won the gold at the 2016 South Asian Games.
Although he may not be a part of the Starting 7 regularly, Rahul Chaudhari brings in immense experience, which Jaipur is likely to find handy this season.
Which teams has Rahul Chaudhari played for in the Pro Kabaddi League earlier?
"Raid Machine" Rahul Chaudhari has represented four teams since the inaugural edition of the Pro Kabaddi League. Reigning champions Jaipur Pink Panthers is his fourth franchise.
Rahul started with Telugu Titans back in 2014, which was the first-ever PKL season. He was a crucial part of the Titans team and went on to play six seasons for them.
The star raider shifted base to Tamil Thalaivas in 2019. His stint with the Thalaivas was short-lived though, and he went on to represent the Puneri Paltan in 2021 for the eighth season. He played just a solitary season for Pune too.
Rahul Chaudhari scored 138 points for the Thalaivas. But his season with Puneri Paltan was one to forget, where he could manage a meager 13 points from seven outings.
In 2022, Jaipur Pink Panthers roped in Rahul for Season 9. The 'Showman' managed to pick up 71 raid points from 21 matches, contributing heavily to their title-winning campaign.
One of India's best raiders, Rahul has had a stellar PKL career, amassing 1041 raid points from 151 matches to date. He has also been handy in the defense, picking up 61 tackle points. Rahul is also the third-best raider in the history of PKL, only behind Pardeep Narwal and Maninder Singh.
As Jaipur Pink Panthers aim to defend their PKL title, Rahul Chaudhari will look to play a key role again and prove his worth.