After the opening day, Rakesh Kumar, a selector appointed by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), shared his positive assessment of the overall quality displayed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d the selector said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cHaryana 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,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cVidarbha played exceptionally well against Uttar Pradesh and were even leading at one stage before losing in the final minutes. Gujarat\u2019s win over Punjab was also impressive. These performances show how much kabaddi has grown across the country,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Several young players have already attracted the interest of selectors. \u201cWe 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,\u201d the selector observed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The selector highlighted the significance of domestic tournaments in developing talent, emphasizing the role of Nationals in career shaping.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Several young players have already attracted the interest of selectors. \u201cWe 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,\u201d the selector observed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 72nd Senior Men\u2019s National Kabaddi Championship, with 29 teams and approximately 400 players, will be held in Vadodara until February 27.<\/p>\r\n\r\n