PKL 2019 | Shrikant Jadhav hopeful of UP Yoddha’s unbeaten run in home leg

After the end of Haryana Steelers’ home games today, the PKL caravan will travel to Greater Noida for the last leg of season 7. UP Yoddha, who are currently at sixth place on the table, will play four matches at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex. They have 58 points from 18 games at the moment and will want to have a good time on the mat at their own backyard.

“Coach Sahab has allowed us all to play freely. We concentrate on the strategies made by the coaches and play according to the plans. Our only focus is playing for the team and winning the matches.”

Playing as the primary raider of the Uttar Pradesh franchise, Jadhav has collected 114 raid points from 18 games in the season. Although the two stars in the team have been in and out of the side, the Maharashtra raider has taken up the responsibility and has delivered for the team as well. 

Apart from him, the raiding department is taken care of by young Surender Gill who has already scored 54 raid points from 15 matches. He has also supported Jadhav well in the raiding department which has eventually resulted in the team doing well. 

“Monu Goyat suffered an injury and that is why he was out of the team and working on his recovery at the moment. Surender Gill is a very good young raider and he was impressive in the practice sessions and he got the opportunity. It is good for the team that I am doing well from the left and Gill is also getting points from the right. When I get out then Gill revives me which is a great thing for the team.”

“Every team needs an experienced player to ensure that everything is fine on the mat while the game is on. He needs to handle the situation for the team and Rishank (Devadiga) does exactly that in our side because of his experience. So, Rishank is very crucial for our team,” asserted Jadhav.

With skipper Nitesh Kumar at the right corner position, UP have got a good and young corner combination with Sumit at the left hand side of the mat. Although Nitesh has not performed as he did in the previous edition, it was Sumit who stepped up for them in the defence and he has 61 points from 18 games which is the third highest in the league. Nitesh has also done well of late and is at the 10th place on the list of defenders with 50 points from as many games. Jadhav threw some light on their performance in the UP defence.

With eyes on the PKL trophy with the UP franchise this year, Jadhav has a bigger dream of representing the country in the future. “After the league, I think there will be the World Cup and I will want to play there. There is an aim of playing for the country. But for now, we want to win the league for the UP Yoddha and I am working towards that as of now,” Jadhav concluded.