கபடி எப்படி விளையாடுவது: முழுமையான விதிகள்

Kabaddi is a contact team sport that combines elements of wrestling and tag. Two teams of seven take turns sending a "raider" into the opponent's half — the raider must touch one or more defenders and return to their own side, all while continuously chanting "kabaddi, kabaddi" without taking a breath.

கபடி — மல்யுத்தம் மற்றும் "Tag" (touch and run) கலந்த தொடர்பு குழு விளையாட்டு. ஏழு பேர் கொண்ட இரு அணிகள் — ஒரு "ரெய்டர்" எதிர் அணியின் பகுதிக்குள் சென்று ஒன்று அல்லது அதற்கு மேற்பட்ட பாதுகாவலர்களை தொட்டு திரும்ப வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு செய்யும்போது, மூச்சு விடாமல் "கபடி, கபடி" என தொடர்ந்து சொல்ல வேண்டும்.

The basic structure

Scoring

A raider scores one point for every defender they touch. If a raider crosses the bonus line (when six or seven defenders are on court), they earn an additional bonus point. Defenders score one point if they tackle the raider before they return to their half. If a team eliminates all opponents in one play, they earn a "Lona" — two extra points and the cleared players return.

Types of raids

A "do-or-die" raid happens when a team has had two empty raids in a row. On the third raid, the raider must score, or they're out and the opposing team gets a point. "Super raids" — touching three or more defenders in a single raid — are highly prized and often turn matches.

Tackles

Defenders work as a chain or pair. Common tackles include the "ankle hold" (grabbing the raider's ankle to prevent return), the "thigh hold" (a more powerful version), and the "block" (a defender uses their body to physically obstruct the raider). The corners and the cover positions are usually the strongest defenders.

History and the modern league

Kabaddi has been played in India for over 4,000 years — references appear in the Mahabharata. It was first introduced as a demonstration sport at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The modern Pro Kabaddi League, launched in 2014 with eight franchise teams, transformed Kabaddi into a televised, professional sport. India has won every men's Asian Games kabaddi gold from 1990 to 2014.

If you've never watched a kabaddi match, the best entry point is the Pro Kabaddi League — broadcast on Star Sports and JioCinema, and explained in commentary in multiple languages including Tamil. The 30-second raids and constant action make it accessible even to newcomers.