The Indian men’s kabaddi team currently finds itself in an idiosyncratic juncture. A thoroughly convincing 55-18 triumph to start their 2023 Asian Games campaign, ideally, should have triggered a state of frenzy in the fanbase. Premature celebrations of a gold medal triumph should have started.
Yet, a particular moment from five years ago forces the Indian fans to exercise caution, be it the ‘class of 2023’ is breathing fire. Since the sport was introduced in the Asian Games’ roster, in 1990, India have always been the undisputed force of supremacy.
Until, it all changed in 2018. A defeat to Iran in the semi-final sent shockwaves across the nation, and beyond. The de facto leaders had lost their bragging rights, and the status quo had been altered.
Now, five years since the defeat, a completely new-look Indian team is looking to reclaim lost glory. Ahead of the embarking on the daunting mission, Pawan Sehrawat – the charismatic leader of the team, and a JSW Sports athlete – spoke with The Quint.
Pawan Sehrawat is leading the Indian men's kabaddi team at the 2023 Asian Games.
(Photo: Sourced by The Quint)
Here are excerpts from the interview:
How is the morale in the camp? You guys seem to be on a roll after winning the Asian Kabaddi Championship in June.
The morale in the team is very high. All of us have fire in our bellies, because we know we are here for revenge. This time, our target in the Asian Games is not to safeguard what’s ours, but to take back what was taken away in 2018. We will do all we can to avenge that loss.
You were not a part of the Kabaddi squad that played in the 2018 Asian Games, but do you have any memories from the final where India lost to Iran?
I was following that match from a training camp of Bengaluru Bulls, in Chennai. All of us in the camp were pretty confident that India would win the gold medal, so when we lost in the semis, nobody could speak a word. There was dead silence in the camp.
For India, Kabaddi is the one sport where people are the most confident about getting a gold medal. After we lost that match to Iran, fans naturally lost confidence in the Kabaddi team. This time, my aim is to get that confidence back in fans, where they can be assured that the Kabaddi boys will certainly win gold.
Does 2018’s defeat add pressure to your team, because now you have the right the wrongs from five years ago?
There is no pressure at all, because of what we did in the Asian Kabaddi Championship recently. We defeated the reigning Asian Games gold medallists Iran in two consecutive matches. Those victories have helped boost the confidence level of our players.
Tell us about your role as the captain of the team.
As a captain, I will have a very important role to play in the team. There are numerous responsibilities – deciding which raider to use at what stage, when to play attacking and when to be defensive, keeping the team motivated and focused – everything depends on the captain. The coach can only take two time-outs, but on the mat, the leadership responsibilities are on the captain. I have done my homework to excel as a leader.
Pawan has embraced his role as a leader.
(Photo: Sourced by The Quint)
You will be leading a fairly young team, with not many experienced heads around. Do you see that as a challenge?
We might be a young team, but that does not mean we are inexperienced. Naveen (Kumar) has played in the South Asian Games and Asian Championships. Aslam (Inamdar), too, was a part of our Asian Championships squad. These guys – Naveen, Aslam, Arjun Deshwal – they are doing a fine job from their first international competition, so it is not like they need time to be ready. Akash Singh is the only player in our team who does not have international experience, but he is also ready to play.
The players you name might have played in international competitions, but they have not been involved in a tournament as big as the Asian Games. Does that concern you?
Not necessarily, because I believe experience comes from playing. Everybody has to start somewhere. If we don’t give the new guys a chance to perform, how will they prove their talent? I think it is not necessary to have experienced players in the team to be successful. I am not worried that we don’t have much experience at this level – rather, I am very happy that we have a young team. This ensures that everyone is hungry for success.
Back in 2018, expectations were sky high from star raider Ajay Thakur. So, when the team could not deliver, Ajay had to face the lion’s share of criticism. Being the star player now, are you a bit nervous?
It is true that expectations are high from star players, as was the case with Ajay Thakur in 2018. But I’m not the one to shy away from responsibilities. I enjoy the expectations, I feel proud that I am the captain of the Indian team and the fans expect good performances from me.
How ready are you, and your team, to bring back the gold medal?
I am saying this with confidence that we are 2000% ready. I believe the players in our squad – me, Naveen, Aslam and others – are currently the crème of the crop in Kabaddi. We have got a great balance and have players for every position. From my point of view, I can say that no opponents will have any chance of winning against India.
You suffered an ACL injury in the last season of the Pro Kabaddi League. Tell us about your road to recovery.
I express gratitude to my coaches and training staff for formulation and execution of my training plan that allowed me to return from injury within a quicker timeframe, without over-exertion. The rehab program with JSW Sports at the Inspire Institute of Sport was tremendously helpful as well. The focus on the sports science aspects of training modules at IIS helped me learn more about how I can keep myself fit mentally and physically. The modern amenities along with top quality coaching staff and trainers helped me in identifying the areas where I needed to improve upon, which has allowed me to further improve my performances since return. The knowledge of medical staff at IIS is tremendous and the kind of care and attention given to each athlete is remarkable.
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