"Ankle-Assassin" Vishal Bhardwaj

They call him the Ankle Assassin for a reason. Once Nitesh Bhardwaj locks in, raiders rarely escape. Calm, sharp, and ruthless, he’s now one of the most feared defenders in PKL.

Vishal Bhardwaj Biography

Vishal Bhardwaj, a Kabaddi star, was born on January 1, 1997, in Dehlan, Himachal Pradesh. At 5 ft 11 in, he seems like an ordinary sportsman, but he has proven that these are just numbers. With his sense of timing and micro-management on the field, he can read raiders with ease.

Height5’11” (180 cm)
Weight78 kg
Marital StatusEngaged to Deepti Prashar
BreakthroughPKL Season 5 (71 tackle points, 5 High 5s)
Playing RoleLeft-Corner Defender
StyleAnkle Holds, Swift Tackles, Reading Raiders

Calm under pressure, Vishal is the kind of defender raiders dread facing. The most amusing aspect of his career is his nickname, “Ankle-Assassin.” But it’s only funny to those who watch, and those who play against him should watch their knee

Education

Vishal Bhardwaj’s Kabaddi player path started casually. Like many kids, he played basketball and cricket at school. But during a local competition, Kabaddi was called. He switched sports, and those early matches on dusty school grounds honed his reflexes and tactical thinking. Later, Vishal graduated from the government. Post Graduate College in Una, balancing studies with intense training sessions.

Family

Vishal grew up in a middle-class family. His mother, Anju, is a housewife, and his father, Vidya Sagar, worked as a milk seller and passed away. He was the first in his family to take up professional sports.

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Sports Career of Vishal Bhardwaj

Vishal Bhardwaj’s PKL debut happened in Season 4 with the Telugu Titans team. After two seasons, he became the captain of the team (not bad for a rookie in a two-year career). Based on the transfer window, he was swapped to the Puneri Paltan team but later returned to the Telugu Titans for various reasons.

Stats & Achievements

  • PKL matches: Around 60
  • Capture points: 178
  • Super captures: 21
  • High 5: 15
  • Capture success rate: 55.43%
  • Net worth: â‚ą2.5–3 Crore

Stats, Raid Points & Net Worth

  • Matches played: ~60
  • Successful tackles: 178
  • Super Tackles: 21
  • High‑5s: 15
  • Net worth (estimated): â‚ą2.5–3 crore

Vishal, as a Kabaddi player, doesn’t raid often, since his game is all about clean, effective defending. He’s rarely injured and known for staying match-fit throughout the season. In contrast, Ankle-Assassin can often cripple his opponents a little, but at the same time, remain literally invincible.

Vishal Bhardwaj, a vice-captain who shows discipline.

Vishal Bhardwaj Auction & Current Kabaddi Team

SeasonTeamNotes
4Telugu TitansDebut
5-7Telugu TitansRetained
8Puneri PaltanSigned at auction
2022Telugu TitansRe-signed
2023-2024Dabang Delhi K.C.Current team, vice-captain


Dabang Delhi K.C. looks like a solid fit for Vishal Bhardwaj, especially with him stepping up as vice-captain. He seems comfortable in the role, and it’s reflected in the way he plays. There’s plenty of buzz around him going into the next PKL season:

  • He’s expected to stay a key part of Delhi’s defense.
  • Based on his past numbers, fans are counting on 20+ successful tackles again.

Vishal Bhardwaj (Kabaddi) has consistently demonstrated that discipline, timing, and smart reads are just as important as size or strength. What he brings to the mat this season, we’ll just have to wait and see.