A Super Tackle is awarded to the defending team in Pro Kabaddi (PKL) when they successfully tackle the raider while having three or lesser players on the mat. On such an occasion, the defending team scores two points instead of the usual one.
Considering the difficulty of executing a Super Tackle, it is not a regular occurrence in a match. However, since the league's inception in 2014, a few players have gambled on the right moves and fine-tuned their defending skills to stop the raider.
Vishal Bhardwaj has scored the most Super Tackles in Pro Kabaddi. He has 31 Super Tackles to his name. Bhardwaj, who made his debut in Season 4, has played for the Telugu Titans and Puneri Paltan teams in PKL. Bhardwaj averages one Super Tackle in about every three matches, one of the best in the league.
In contrast, veteran Sandeep Narwal, the 2016 South Asian Games gold medallist, has played around 57 more matches than Bhardwaj but was unable to become the first defender to reach 30 super tackles.
Parvesh Bhainswal is also among defenders with the most Super Tackles. He made his PKL debut in 2016 with Jaipur Pink Panthers and then had four successful seasons with the Gujarat Giants before his move to the Titans.
No top PKL defender list is complete without Dharmaraj Cheralathan. He has managed 25 Super Tackles in 123 matches.
Meanwhile, Fazel Atrachali, who holds the record for most tackle points in PKL, is the only overseas player in the top 10 of the Super Tackles list.
Most Super Tackles in PKL
Player |
Matches |
Super Tackles |
Vishal Bhardwaj |
99 |
31 |
Parvesh Bhainswal |
122 |
31 |
Sandeep Narwal |
156 |
30 |
Mahender Singh |
110 |
26 |
Dharmaraj Cheralathan |
123 |
25 |
Surjeet Singh |
127 |
24 |
Fazel Atrachali |
146 |
24 |
Jeeva Kumar |
136 |
23 |
Mohit Chhillar |
109 |
23 |
Ravi Kumar |
137 |
23 |
Photo credit: Pro Kabaddi