How do defenders come into the game in kho-kho?
B · Beginner · The chase · 6 of 6Defenders do not all come on together. They enter in small groups called batches. When the last defender of a batch is out, the next batch must be inside the field before two khos have been given. The attacker who put out the last defender may not chase the new batch and must give kho.
How it works
- A batch: the runners who are in the field together. In the National Club Games book it is two.
- The first batch: inside the field when the turn starts.
- Getting ready: as soon as the first defender of a batch is out, the next batch goes to the entry zone.
- Two khos: the next batch must be in the field before two correct khos are given after the last defender is out.
- Too slow: a runner who has not entered by then may be declared out.
- Too early: runners who enter early are not out. They are called back.
- No free tag: the attacker who put out the last defender of a batch must give kho and not chase the new batch.
- One kho is enough: a new defender who is already inside can be chased after one correct kho.
- Order: the runners keep the same order all through the turn.
The glossary has the batch, the entry zone, the runner, the defender, the kho and the referee.
Tricky cases
The last defender of a batch is out and the attacker turns on the two players coming in. Allowed?
No. The attacker "shall not pursue a new batch after the last Defender of a batch is out". They must give kho.
The next batch is still standing in the entry zone after two khos. What happens?
The referee has the option to declare out the runners who have not entered.
A keen runner steps in before their batch's turn. Out?
No. Runners who enter early are called back by the referee.
Can a team send its best defenders in again and again?
No. The order of the runners cannot be changed during a turn. If all are out before time, they go in again in the same order.
Why the rule exists
Sending defenders in a few at a time keeps a fair fight going all through a turn and means every runner is tested. The two-kho allowance gives the new batch a moment to get in, and the bar on the same attacker chasing them stops a tag on a defender who has only now crossed the line.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| National Club Games book | Batches of two | KKFI Club Rules Part 3.2 |
| Full-size game | Larger batches | Not checked |
| New batch not in after two khos | May be declared out | KKFI Club Rules Part 3.2B |
| New batch in early | Called back | KKFI Club Rules Part 3.2 |
| Modern format | A long-surviving batch is reported to earn points (the dream run) | Not checked |
From the rule book
Kho Kho Federation of India, National Club Games Rule Book: Kho-Kho (undated), Part 1 (definitions 13 and 27) and Part 3 (rules 2 and 4). Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the federation's rule book of kho-kho (current edition not published; the National Club Games rule book was used).