While big names such as Ajay Thakur, Manjeet Chhillar and Rahul Chaudhari have all earned a massive status with their consistent performances, youngsters such as Siddharth Desai, Pawan Sehrawat and Nitesh Kumar have already staked a claim for a spot in the senior national team, having exhibited some tremendous skills on the mat.
Given that kabaddi is indeed a fast-paced sport, a lot of emphasis has been laid on bringing the best out of talented youngsters and one franchise that has left a lasting impact by structuring the team around these young players is U.P. Yoddha.
Having made their PKL debut in season 5 of the competition alongside Gujarat Fortune Giants, Haryana Steelers and the Tamil Thalaivas, the Yoddha have been one of the most consistent sides in the league and have qualified for the knockout stages in both their seasons thus far, as they chase an elusive title this season.
Sportskeeda caught up with Col. Vinod Kumar Bisht, CEO of GMR League Games in an exclusive chat as he spoke in length about the importance of promoting young talent, the franchise’s tie-up with the U.P. Kabaddi League and a lot more.
The U.P. Yoddha, led by ace corner defender Nitesh Kumar have enjoyed a top show this season as they have picked up 9 wins from 17 matches and are placed 4th on the points table, with a good chance of making it to the top 6.
However, in a season that has produced many quality matches that have gone all the way down to the wire, Col. Bisht remarked that no team can be taken lightly and a lot can change over a couple of games.
Contrary to their current form, the Yoddha did not start too well this season as they picked up only three wins from their first 10 matches but found form at the right time as they now have six wins from their last seven matches. Col. Bisht shed light on how the franchise backed the youngsters to step up in the absence of senior players.
Before the season, the Yoddha signed three big raiders in Shrikant Jadhav, Rishank Devadiga and Monu Goyat to lead the side but injuries to Rishank and Monu dented the Yoddha’s campaign. However, in their absence, Jadhav and Surender Gill have stepped up to the task to revive the team’s campaign.
In a massive bid to promote young talent in Uttar Pradesh, the UP Yoddha partnered with the U.P. Kabaddi League to unearth some of the best talents in the state and when quizzed about the inspiration behind this alliance, Col. Bisht put it down to the need to widen the base of procuring quality talent.
Given that the Yoddha have added a lot of emphasis on promoting young talent, it is important to note that the strategy has always been to infuse confidence in players at a young age to bring out the best in them.
Yet, amidst having retained a core of their defensive unit from last season, the Yoddha stuck to their strategy of signing some exciting youngsters but also signed three big raiders in Shrikant, Rishank and Monu, and the idea behind this approach was laid out by Col. Bisht.
With just one match left for the Yoddha before an all-important home leg at Greater Noida, Col. Bisht stressed on the importance of being clear of the elimination zone just before they tackle a high-pressure home leg.
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