The opening day of the 72nd Senior Men’s National Kabaddi Championship at the Sama Indoor Stadium in Vadodara has drawn praise from former India captain and current Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) selector Rakesh Kumar, who believes the level of competition on display is a clear reflection of the sport’s steady growth across the country.
With 29 teams and nearly 400 players participating in this year’s championship, the tournament continues to serve as one of the most significant platforms in the domestic kabaddi calendar. While it offers emerging players an opportunity to make their mark at the national level, it also provides selectors with a valuable assessment ground to evaluate the depth of talent available in Indian kabaddi.
Sharing his observations following the first day’s matches, Rakesh Kumar expressed satisfaction with the quality of performances across teams.
“The team performances on the first day have been very encouraging. Experienced players who feature regularly in the Pro Kabaddi League and a large number of young players are doing well at the Nationals,” he said.
Traditional powerhouses such as Haryana, Railways and Services once again demonstrated their strength, but according to Kumar, what stood out most was the competitiveness shown by other teams in closely contested matches.
“Haryana is looking very strong with players like Ayan and Vijay Malik in their lineup. Railways and Services are naturally strong teams, but what stood out was how well other teams compete,” he noted.
Matches such as Vidarbha’s narrow defeat to Uttar Pradesh, where they were in the lead at one stage before losing momentum in the final minutes, highlighted the rising standards among teams that may not traditionally be considered title contenders. Gujarat’s win over Punjab also caught the selector’s attention as an example of how evenly matched teams have become at the domestic level.
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“Vidarbha played exceptionally well against Uttar Pradesh and were even leading at one stage before losing in the final minutes. Gujarat’s win over Punjab was also impressive. These performances show how much kabaddi has grown across the country,” he added.
Kumar attributed this upward trend in competitiveness and technical quality to the evolving kabaddi ecosystem in India, particularly the influence of the Pro Kabaddi League and consistent efforts by the national federation to expand opportunities for athletes.
“The credit for this growth goes to the Pro Kabaddi League and the federation for conducting events in India and abroad. This ecosystem has encouraged young athletes to take up kabaddi with great enthusiasm,” he explained.
The championship has also provided an early glimpse of promising young players who could potentially progress to higher levels in the sport. Several individuals have already managed to stand out through their performances during the initial matches.
“We saw many promising youngsters in action. Nitesh Kumar, who plays for Tamil Thalaivas, performed very well. There are two players from Vidarbha who stood out, and even teams like Pondicherry and Andhra Pradesh were impressive,” Kumar observed.
Beyond immediate performances, the selector also emphasised the long-term importance of domestic tournaments such as the Senior Nationals in shaping the careers of aspiring kabaddi players. According to him, these competitions serve as a critical link between grassroots participation and professional or national-level representation.
“Tournaments like the Senior and Junior Nationals play a crucial role in a player’s journey. Junior Nationals help players earn opportunities in the PKL and the New Young Players’ programmes, while Senior Nationals offer not just exposure, but also career security through certificates, medals and eligibility for government and services jobs,” he said.
As the tournament progresses towards its concluding stages on February 27, performances at the Sama Indoor Stadium are expected to play a key role in determining future selections for national camps and professional opportunities.
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With a blend of established performers and emerging talent already making an impression, the opening day has underlined the expanding talent pool in Indian kabaddi and reinforced the importance of the Senior Nationals as a foundational step in the sport’s development pathway.
