After going unsold in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) 2025 auction, legendary player Pardeep Narwal announced his retirement from professional kabaddi during live interview. One of the greaters raiders in league's history, the three-time champion expected to get picked by one of his former teams but it did not happen.
“Honestly, I didn’t feel much at that moment. I was like, ‘Okay, maybe someone will definitely bid,’” he said in an Instagram live session.
Narwal also came to terms with reality that he hasn't been living up to his expectations. He feels he hasn't been making the impact he is supposed to.
“When I played for Patna earlier, I used to score 200–300 points. Now even 111 or 122 doesn’t feel enough. I want to score 15–16 points per match, not just 3–4,” the 28-year-old said.
Narwal also feels that the defenders have now figured him out and age has played a role as well.
“Defenders prepare specially for me. Everyone watches videos, and yes, skills decline a little with time,” he said.
The 'Dubki King' scored over 100 points in his last PKL season for Bengaluru Bulls. He revealed what his family told him.
“Kabaddi has given me everything. My family told me, ‘You’ve got your name, your achievements — just be happy,’” he said.
Narwal also revealed that he intends to take up coaching which he is already doing at a local level curently.
“I’ll stay connected to kabaddi. I’m interested in coaching — I already train kids in my village,” he shared.
Narwal's achievements
Narwal made his PKL debut for Bengaluru Bulls in Season 2. However, he had success at Patna Pirates, leading them to three titles on the trot. The raider is the first player in league's history to cross the 1,000-raid points mark. At the time of retirement, he has 1,901 points from 190 matches. Now, he wants his fans to accept his decision to step away from the mat.