Exclusive: 'I learn from star raiders like Pardeep and Siddharth,' says Bengaluru Bulls' ace raider Pawan Sehrawat
The Pro Kabaddi League since its commencement back in 2014 has been a platform for Kabaddi stars to showcase their skills and make a name for themselves. It has become the second-most watched league after Indian Premier League (IPL) in India.
The defending champions Bengaluru Bulls have had tremendous two seasons courtesy of 'Hi-Flyer' Pawan Sehrawat who has carried the offence of the team as a stalwart. He scored the most raid points in Season 6 with 271 raid points that led Bengaluru to their maiden title win. He also holds the green armband currently in the ongoing edition of the league.
Bengaluru Bulls have had a rocky journey thus far this season with nine wins and eight losses to their name. All of their losses have been by a close margin against their opposition. They will be keen on winning their remaining four games to enter the playoffs in good form.
Sportskeeda caught up with Bengaluru Bulls' star raider Pawan Sehrawat as he gave views regarding the lead up to this season and his views inside and outside the mat.
Q. How would you express your emotions regarding your journey thus far in the past two seasons?
It has been a rollercoaster ride for me. Sometimes I do well while sometimes things don't go my way. My performance has worked well for the team. I expect myself to do well every day and avoid losing matches for Bulls so that I can contribute well for the team.
Q. What's it like playing under Rohit Kumar as your captain?
It becomes easy to play when you have such an experienced veteran in Rohit Kumar. He takes the burden off me and that has made me what I am today. Rohit tells me to do whatever I want to score a definite raid point before heading into a raid.
Q. Do you feel the defence needs to support you even if you score a lot of points on offence?
Indeed. The defence is full of young and capable stars who keep the potential of taking risks and succeeding in them. And so far they have remained good in showcasing their skills on the mat. Sometimes the other raiders fail to revive me back, and that is where the team's defence plays a vital role.
Looking at the other teams, when their main raider is on the bench, the others get all out. Luckily, this has not happened to me.
Q. How would you define 'Pawan Sehrawat's success mantra'?
Our head coach Randhir Singh Sehrawat has kept a lot of belief in me even before my struggling days. His continuous trust upon the players (including me) has been the success mantra of Bengaluru Bulls as we won the title last year.
Q. How do you become a raider of such high calibre in Pro Kabaddi League?
Not only do I observe my raiding techniques, but I also learn from the star raiders like Pardeep Narwal and Siddharth Desai. For instance, despite having a deficit in the team's points, Pardeep never gives up till the last raid. In the second half, a raider like him becomes unstoppable. Siddharth always focuses on scoring a touchpoint every time. It is how a player becomes sensational to watch.
Q. Who inspires you the most? And how?
Manjeet Chhillar. He has been my idol for so long now. I have learned from his attitude of taking down opponents single-handedly as my inspiration that has helped me a lot today.
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