Puneri Paltan brought in former India skipper Ashan Kumar Sangwan to coach the team this season with an aim to win the trophy after finishing in the top four for the last three PKL seasons. The team has started well so far and in the first four games, they have only one loss to their name and are at the second position on the Zone A points table with 14 points. The Paltan started its campaign with a tied game in the first Maharashtra derby of the season and their home leg is about to begin from today. 

“Kabaddi is a game that can at times get aggressive and make you restless, so learning to be calm and cool under pressure is also critical. For mental well-being, players do yoga and meditation, which helps them in concentrating better on the field. I always advise them to have ample of rest to help in recovery. We have a customized workout routine for every player and have mutually decided to avoid certain food items like sweets etc and ensure that none of us cheats.”

Puneri Paltan will kick-off their home leg from today at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex against Gujarat Supergiants. The team which ended at the bottom in the first couple of seasons, ensured good show in the last three seasons as they ended at number three twice in 2016 and fourth last year. The coach has an expectation of the team going two steps forward to clinch the trophy this year with a good and balanced team that they have formed this year. They retained experienced players like Girish Ernak, GB More, Rajesh Mondal, and Sandeep Narwal while adding the former UP Yoddha skipper – Nitin Tomar - as they wanted a raider who could start from the left side of the mat and Tomar is someone who can secure points at different match scenarios. 

“We had retained Girish Ernak, GB More, Rajesh Mondal and Sandeep Narwal as our elite players before the auction. These four players were a vital cog in Paltan’s raiding and defence. Rajesh Mondal and GB More are consistent raiders who can get us points during tense situations while Girish is one of the best defenders in the country and plays a significant role in holding Paltan’s fort. Sandeep Narwal’s expertise in both raiding and defending makes him a deadly all-rounder. During auctions, we had a clear strategy, to get one good left raider who we could depend on and hence we roped in Nitin Tomar into our team. From season 5, we also have young players like Akshay Jadhav, Monu and Rinku in the squad this year.”

Speaking about Ernak and his leadership skills, Ashan said, “Girish is an amazing Kabaddi player and has great leadership skills. Girish has been with Puneri Paltan since season 5, and his contribution in the matches has been unmatchable. As the captain, Girish is calm on field and gels well with all players. Whether the captain is a raider or defender is not important. What matters is that the captain should be able to keep the team together during both good times and bad times.”

“Puneri Paltan’s practise camp was set up in the first week of September, almost a month before the league. In the morning, the focus is on fitness and in the evening, the focus is on mat practice. The team ensures that they all stick together both on and off the mat at all times, and this has translated into good team dynamics for us during matches. The players learn from each other as well and take all feedback seriously. This is my first time in PKL and Pune franchise’s management is very supportive,” explained Ashan who has also received the prestigious Arjuna Award during his playing days.

“All teams are putting forth their best foot forward. We at Puneri Paltan do not underestimate any team or player. Before every match, we all sit together and study the moves of the opponent team to understand their strategy. We then analyse our strengths and weaknesses against the other teams and devise our match strategy.”