PKL 2019 | Good initiative to keep our core team intact, says Rohit Kumar

2018 Pro Kabaddi champions - Bengaluru Bulls - were clear in their mindset at last month’s PKL auction for the 2019 season. The team management decided to keep the core team intact and retained five of its star players who were the driving force behind the team’s success in 2018. 

Bengaluru skipper Rohit Kumar is optimistic that auction strategy will benefit the team in this year’s competition that is slated to begin on July 19.

“I think it was a good initiative by our franchise to keep the core team intact because I feel when a player enters any new team, it takes time for him to get acclimatised to the surroundings, team culture and environment. So, when you have the guys who have been with you in the past, it helps the team to get click swiftly.

“The basic idea is that the players, coaches, support staffs all know each others’ strengths and weaknesses, the area to improve and work on. You don’t have to start working from scratch. It is just to resume from where you left last season,” Rohit said a recent interview with IANS.

Rohit, who gathered 162 raid points for his team in 24 games last year, added that there is no such pressure on him as most of his players are experienced enough. The 29-year old also said that he is looking forward to helping the younger players in the team settle into the side ahead of the upcoming season.

“These young guys are very talented as they have the stamina and power. What they just need is the right guidance as they have a hunger to learn and improve everyday. Being the experienced ones, whatever knowledge about the game we have, we pass on to them. They grasp it very quickly and that is why some or the other newcomer has always rocked the league since its inception. What they can do, we (experienced players) can’t as the main reason is age difference,” the star raider added.