Affectionately known as ‘the showman’ by his fans, Rahul Chaudhari was one of the earliest poster-boys of Kabaddi, and had a crucial role to play in the growing popularity of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). With 161 points in the first season, he was PKL 1’s second-highest points scorer, behind only the well-known Anup Kumar.
Since then, Chaudhari had consistently scored 90+ points in every single season, until it all came crashing down last year. Playing for Puneri Paltan, he made only seven appearances and looked lacklustre in those matches, winning only 13 points with an underwhelming raid success percentage of 29%.
The prevailing belief in the kabaddi fraternity after PKL 8 was that the glory days of the once superstar are all but gone, and unsurprisingly, he did not fetch much interest in the PKL 9 auction.
Being the only team who bid for him, Jaipur Pink Panthers signed the raider for only his base price of INR 10 lakhs.
Yet, even before the start of the season, the other 11 teams might have already started regretting their decision of letting the raider go for cheap, as Chaudhari was seen at his best once again in the recently concluded 36th National Games.
Not only did not Bijnor-born player lead his state, Uttar Pradesh, to a gold medal, but he also played a highly influential role in the final by inflicting an all out and picking up a bonus point in the dying stages of the game.
I Had Never Failed: Rahul Chaudhari
Now, the raider has set his sights on PKL 9, where he wants to let his performances on the mat do the talking. On being asked about whether he is eager to answer his critics, the raider told The Quint “Absolutely, I would like to prove everyone wrong."
"I never failed, it is just that I did not play enough matches in the last season. In PKL 7, I played in a team (Tamil Thalaivas) where they had many superstars, but I did well. Before that, I had a good PKL 6 season for Telegu Titans. I was never finished," he added.
Chaudhari led Uttar Pradesh by example in the National Games, but he believes his association with Jaipur Pink Panthers had a role to play in his form. “I think Jaipur Pink Panthers is very lucky for me. I got back to form as soon as they bought me at the PKL auction, everyone said the ‘showman’ is back,” the 29-year-old informed us.
How the ‘Sachin Tendulkar of Kabaddi’ Helped Rahul Chaudhari Regain His Form
Prior to the season, the Pink Panthers had a month-long camp in Dehradun, where Chaudhari worked on his game with the coach, Sanjeev Baliyan.
Speaking on Baliyan’s inputs, he told us “I would like to thank the coach for his support. It is my personal opinion, but I think we can call him the Sachin Tendulkar of Kabaddi.”
“The coach told me: ‘Nowadays you think a lot, and thinking doesn’t help anyone. If you have made someone your target, just go for it, don’t think if you will be successful or not.’ He worked on my game a lot in the Dehradun camp, and I have certainly benefited from it massively. I feel joining Jaipur has played a big role in regaining my form,” the ‘raid machine’ added.
‘I Am Ready To Deliver Whenever the Team Needs Me,’ Says Chaudhari
Chaudhari has previously been a part of star-studded teams, who ultimately could not live up to the expectations. On the contrary, he is one of the few experienced players in what is otherwise a very young Jaipur squad.
Speaking on his role in the team, the raider said “I want to improve my own game, along with improving the team as well. Whenever the team needs me, I am ready to deliver, but it doesn’t mean they are only dependent on me. Even in the national games, I went to raid only when it was required, not on every single opportunity.”
“We have some really good players – Arjun Deshwal was brilliant last season. The best aspect of this team is that not a single player has an ego issue. Everyone is willing to work for the team,” Chaudhari concluded, as he headed towards the team bus after a gruelling practice session, evidently enjoying his new surroundings.
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