Ankit Rana: Rohtak Royals' All-Round Contributor in KCL Season 1

Championship-winning squads in the debut season of the Kabaddi Champions League (KCL) needed depth beyond their headline names, and for Rohtak Royals, Ankit Rana provided exactly that kind of all-round contribution during their triumphant Season 1 campaign.

Building a Champion Squad

The KCL Season 1 auction on December 28, 2025 saw all eight franchises — including Bhiwani Bulls, Karnal Kings, Gurugram Gurus, Sonipat Stars, Panipat Panthers, Faridabad Fighters, and Hisar Heroes — build their rosters from a pool of 128 selected players within a ₹4 crore purse. Rohtak Royals assembled a squad with genuine two-way depth, and Ankit Rana's game reflected exactly that balance once the season got underway at the Sports University of Haryana in Rai, where KCL Season 1 ran from January 25 to February 7, 2026.

A Genuine Two-Way Contributor

Across seven matches for Rohtak Royals, Ankit Rana attempted 84 raids, converting 31 of them successfully while being caught out on 32 occasions, producing 37 raid points at a raid strike rate of 44 percent. Rana's game extended well into defence too, where he registered 16 tackle attempts, converting seven of them successfully with nine unsuccessful, for a tackle success rate of 33.3 percent and eight tackle points across the campaign. That combination of meaningful raiding output alongside genuine defensive involvement made Rana one of the more balanced all-round performers in Rohtak Royals' title-winning squad. The full Season 1 standings and results can be tracked on the KCL Standings and Matches pages.

Value in a Championship Setup

Champion squads are rarely built on star power alone, and Ankit Rana's willingness to contribute across both raiding and tackling gave Rohtak Royals a flexible option through a demanding league phase and into the knockout stage. His raid-point tally, combined with a genuine defensive workload, reflected the kind of adaptable, team-oriented play that underpinned the franchise's success.

Part of a Championship Story

Rohtak Royals' Season 1 campaign culminated in the ultimate reward, as the franchise was crowned the first-ever KCL champions. Ankit Rana's two-way contributions across the season formed part of the broader squad effort that carried Rohtak Royals to that historic title.

What's Next for Ankit Rana

With Season 1 complete and a championship secured, attention turns to how Ankit Rana and Rohtak Royals look to defend their crown. Fans who watched his balanced contribution across raiding and defence will be eager to see that role grow further. While no official announcement on KCL Season 2 has been made yet, anticipation is already building around what Rana and the champions could achieve in a follow-up campaign. Stay tuned to the KCL website for further updates.