Video Editor: Kunal Mehra
I didn’t know what to expect when I decided to put three players of the Indian kabaddi team in front of the camera. It was right before one of their practice sessions during the Kabaddi Masters tournament in Dubai, none of them wanted to be late to the team bus, and I was wondering whether they’d even be interested in talking.
But when Ajay Thakur, Rahul Chaudhari and Sandeep Narwal actually came together, it was a riot!
Narwal, better known as Jangalo (for reasons undisclosed by his teammates), is the team mischief-maker, revealed Chaudhari. “Jango can be the most aggressive player on the mat, but when he’s in the mood to have fun, he doesn’t listen to what anyone says.”
When asked for his thoughts on the same, Narwal said, “Theek hai” (It’s fine).
“Even the captain has said that if someone in the team gets sad or has a problem, they don’t have to call the doctor, because I can solve their problem.”
At the SAI centre in Sonepat, the Indian kabaddi team has upto three practice sessions a day. But when they’re not training, the players are mostly on Facebook.
Masti karate hai. Swimming pool main gate hai. Our zyadatar? Zyadatar, Facebook. (We have fun. Go to the swimming pool. And mostly? Mostly we’re on Facebook.)Ajay Thakur, Indian Kabaddi Team Captain
Barring the 2016 World Cup opener against South Korea, the Indian team have consistently been winning tournaments like the Asian Games, South Asian Games, and Indoor Games. They’ve also been crowned World Cup champions in all three editions that have been held. All three players – Rahul, Ajay and Sandeep – agreed that there was no two ways about the fact that India is indeed the best.
We’ve been champions for the past few years. For as long as I can remember, I haven’t seen India lose in any championship, whether it’s the World Cup or Asian Games.Ajay Thakur
“The main reason why the Indian team doesn’t lose is that even our bench members perform. So even if all seven players are replaced, they will do well,” added Narwal.
So with that cleared, could India be assured of a gold medal at the upcoming Asian Games in Jakarta? Captain Thakur wouldn’t go so far as to say.
We’re not over-confident. But we’re very well prepared. It’s also set in our minds that we have to win the gold medal. We want the gold, but we WILL win the gold, are two different things. We aren’t over-confident. But we’ve worked so hard that we can win. But I won’t say we will win.Ajay Thakur
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