PKL 2018 | Brotherhood and team bonding have helped us reach the final, believes Kashiling Adake

01/05/2019

Kashiling Adake is of the opinion that the bonding in the team and the brotherhood between the players has helped the Bengaluru Bulls in achieving success in the ongoing sixth season of Pro Kabaddi League. The senior raider believes that all the players will give their 100% in the summit clash.

After finishing first in Zone B, the Bulls carried on their brilliant run even in the playoffs as they got the better of last season’s runners-up team Gujarat Fortunegiants in the first qualifier game. The team did put up a great show in that match to hand Gujarat a thrashing defeat by 12 points in Kochi. The raiding unit has been performing well from the very beginning of the season and that has gone completely in their favour in taking them to the final of the sixth season. The Bulls will be playing the second final in their history today against Gujarat in Mumbai.

One of the senior members of the team Kashiling Adake will be all set to perform well for the side not just as a raider but also in the defence. This will be his first final in his PKL journey and the Maharashtra player will definitely want to make this one count in the capital city of his home state. He underlined the fact that the Bengaluru-based side has played as a cohesive unit and that has helped it to come this far in the tournament.

“It really feels great to make it to the finals, I have been playing in the league for six years now and I am happy that I will get a chance in the final. The dream that I saw to take the team ahead of others in the league has materialised now,” Adake told SportsCafe in an exclusive interview.

“We want to give 100% on the mat in the final and that is going to be really important for the entire team. We shouldn’t think after the game that what should have been done, whatever is there to be done should be done during the match itself. The Bengaluru team has been a cohesive unit; the bonding and the brotherhood among the players have helped us to do well in the tournament. The players give each other confidence when someone is down with an injury to lift their spirit and make them aware of their capabilities and contribution in the team.”

Adake played for the Dabang Delhi KC in the first three editions of the league before moving to U Mumba last year and now he was bought by the Bengaluru Bulls unit this season. After finishing fifth on the Top Raiders list in 2014, he became the most successful raider in the second edition of the league.

However, in the ongoing season, he hasn’t gone to raid on too many occasions as there were players like Pawan Sehrawat and Rohit Kumar who were doing well from the commencement of the season. Adake had to sit out for a few games as well as he sustained a muscle injury and came back only for the last two legs before the playoffs. From 19 matches in the sixth edition, the 26-year-old has scored 65 raid points but in addition to that, he has contributed a lot in the defence with 17 tackle points to his name.

“I had a muscle injury in the middle of the season and had to sit out for a few games. I am trying to contribute in both raiding and defence, as I am getting a lesser number of raids, I am happy to contribute to the defence. We had in mind from the very first day that the raider who does well will go all-out and wanted to go ahead with the raider who is in a good form by giving them the licence to go for points during our raids. Pawan and Rohit have done well and it has suited for the team as well this season,” Adake explained.

“Most of the defenders are young and they are trying to learn and take up the responsibility in the team. I have my own share of job in the defence as well, I know who is raiding from which side and plan accordingly. For a left-handed raider, I go right and same for the right-handed ones, I keep on shifting my positions on the mat. The raiders know that I can go for ankle holds and they have the fear factor in collecting the bonus so they don’t try to pick up a bonus when I am there.”

The Bulls were the first to make it to the final of the sixth PKL and have played a lesser number of games as compared to the other teams in the league. After going down to the Bulls in a one-sided contest, the Fortunegiants managed to beat UP Yoddha by 38-31 points in the second qualifier.

When asked about the plans for the final, the raider replied, “We will go ahead with the strategy made by our coach. Usually, we go ahead according to the plans or tactics of the opponents. The coaches are really good and they always try hard to rectify our mistakes, they constantly advise and instruct all the players in the side.”

Speaking about his individual performance in the season and the expectations from the final, the player from Maharashtra’s Sangli said, “I was asked whether I am fit to play or not and I got matches before the final which did help me. Usually, when a senior player gets injured, the team gets nervous. I recovered well in a couple of week’s time and now have to live up to the expectations of the coaches and my team.”

“I think to do well and get points in the raids; it may be a touch or even a bonus collecting points remains my priority.”