Rahul Chaudhari is called the poster boy of Indian kabaddi, and in addition to his talent and raiding prowess on the kabaddi mat, he particularly deserves the tag for his good looks as well. That is pretty evident with his large base of his female fans across the nation, whom the player himself acknowledges and adores!
Nonetheless, on a serious note, Chaudhari is one of the most renowned players of Pro Kabaddi since it’s very inception and his numbers are more than just a testament to his skills, 517 points in total!
Sportskeeda got in touch with the Telugu Titans captain on the sidelines of a media forum in Mumbai for an exclusive interview, here are some excerpts from the same:
Four new teams, more than 130 matches in the fifth edition, what do you have to say on the progress of kabaddi?
It benefits the sport on two levels. As for the players, a lot of young, talented players get an entry into the Pro Kabaddi fold wherein they will rub shoulders with not only experienced Indian players but a lot of foreign ones as well and more so they will be training under the best of coaches and support staff.
When it comes to the league per se, it has gone from being a 40-day affair to a 90-day one, thus Kabaddi shall have a greater audience viewership particularly amongst the youth, thus widening its fan base across the country.
Since the league is for a longer duration, some players have expressed their concern about the risk of injuries, do you think that will be an issue?
Definitely, because earlier we used to play 13-14 matches and in this season we shall play almost 30 of them. Thus, we have to ensure that our fitness levels are way above cent percent because if we tend to suffer from major injuries midway in the season, we will find ourselves relegated to the bench. Minor injuries, on the other hand, are a part and parcel of each match, hence that will be least of our worries.
How are the training and preparations going on for the upcoming season?
Like we spoke about injuries, the main focus in the training camps not just for our team but for all teams is to ensure that the entire squad of players is physically fit, so fit that they can maintain their level of performance and sustain themselves throughout the 90 days.
How difficult is it to adjust to a new team environment post the auctions?
The real challenge is for the coaches, that too with the junior and young players. They have to ensure that these young guns settle themselves well because the senior and foreign players are already used to switching across different teams and more or less know their role. Thus, with training sessions over time, we can establish the right combinations and work according to each player's respective strengths.
How do you plan to lead the Telugu Titans side in the capacity of a captain?
The main aim is to lead by example. I have to give my 100% on the mat and thus expect my team to follow the lead. Also, another aspect is to move ahead together, along with the senior players and the juniors, I have to make sure that not only I play to my complete potential but also never let the morale of the team down at any point in time.
Some segments in kabaddi are of the opinion that players deserved more money in the auctions given the longer time span of the league?
Well, I do respect the views of different people but on a personal note I do not give much of a thought to how much money I get, it has never been a concern until now and it shall never be in the future as well. Talking about the longer duration, the average price was somewhere around 45 lakhs last season and by those standards then, this year the average should have been a crore.
Which is the strongest team that you think will pose a real threat on match days?
Most teams are on the same level but if I have to name one that has an edge above others, I think it is Puneri Paltan in terms of the kind of players they bought at the auctions. In the likes of Deepak Hooda, Cheralathan, Sandeep Narwal and others they have the right mix of players suitable for each and every position.
One player, you are looking forward to play alongside at Telugu Titans?
It has to be Rakesh Kumar! A former Indian captain, Arjuna awardee, I have the golden opportunity to learn from him, take a leaf out of his vast experience in the sport. I’m especially looking forward to my raids since I’m sure that each time I go to the rival shore he will have some important advice and instructions to give me, which will again work to my advantage.
Also read: Pro Kabaddi League 2017 Season 5: Where are India's World Cup winning stars now?
