“There are no guarantees in life,” Manjit Chillar tells The Hindu , when asked if India can be expected to cruise to a kabaddi gold medal at the Asian Games. It is this unpretentious attitude, and a host of other factors, which makes his side the clear favourite at Incheon.
Chillar and his teammates refuse to take comfort in the nation’s record — an intimidating six straight gold medals at the Asian Games, since the sport was introduced, at the 1990 Beijing Games. Far from settling into auto-pilot mode, the squad is being put through the paces at a national camp in Bhopal, ahead of its departure.
Hard work and a glowing history aside, the timing of the event adds to the already formidable aura around the team. The immensely successful inaugural edition of the ProKabaddi League — a competition which saw the best in the business grapple for honours — has served as ideal preparation for national duty. The league concluded just a couple of weeks ago after 35 days of intense action, which will allow the players to hit the ground running.
Good impactRaider Rakesh Kumar — member of the victorious 2006 and 2010 Asian Games teams — speaks on the undeniable impact that the franchisee-based tournament has had. “The ProKabaddi League gave all of us the chance to put our games to the test. All of us performed under intense pressure, and that has given us great confidence,” he says in a telephone conversation from Bhopal.
It is true that for the sprinkling of foreign players in the league, the knowledge gained will prove more than handy. South Korea’s Jang Kun Lee and Japan’s Masayuki Shimokawa will return home better for the experience, but there are two sides to the same coin.
As teammates or rivals, information on players’ movements, strengths and weaknesses is freely exchanged. Chillar, who led Bengaluru Bulls to a semifinal spot, explains: “We did everything we could to help the foreigners learn the nuances of the sport. But, their presence was useful for us too. We had an eye on the Asian Games, and made it a point to analyse their game,” he says.
Apart from South Korea and Japan, both Chillar and Rakesh agree that India’s toughest competition will come from Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The latter possesses a better record at the Asian Games (three silvers and three bronzes), while Pakistan is not far behind with two silvers and four bronzes.
How real is this threat? “They are very good teams, as is Iran. We may be expected to win the gold, but there is no question of underestimating anyone,” Chillar says.
The women’s team, much like their male counterparts, will leave no stone unturned. The side won the gold in the 2010 Games, defeating Thailand in the final.
With the franchisees and promoters of the ProKabaddi League keen to start a women’s leg, a good show at Incheon will only help their bid to get a share of the pie. The Indian teams will not get a free pass to the podium, but only an exceptional show from their rivals can keep the doors shut.
