Bengal Warriors’ current Pro Kabaddi League squad does not include any players from Bengal due to the lack of sufficient talent among them, as highlighted by their coach K. Bhaskaran.
In Bengal, numerous athletes are participating in this particular sport. However, during the Kabaddi national meet, the Bengal team fails to advance beyond the league phase. It appears that they are lacking the necessary level of skill and performance.
To reach that desired level, the team must at least make it to the quarter-finals of the Nationals. It is essential for one of the teams, whether it be the sub-junior, junior, or senior team, to progress to the last-eight phase. Unfortunately, this is not happening with Bengal. As a result, they are failing to attract attention from anyone,” Bhaskaran, a former India player, expressed to The Telegraph at the Netaji Indoor Stadium on Thursday, on the eve of their match against Gujarat Giants.
Despite this, the Bengal Warriors have conducted trials in Calcutta. However, we are not finding the desired talent that we need.
“It’s not that the children and young people here are not interested in kabaddi. They do find it fascinating, especially after the Pro Kabaddi League. However, in the 90s, kabaddi was in a much better condition in Bengal. But these young people need to be guided and shown the correct path,” Bhaskaran added.
So, is there something amiss in the state kabaddi federation? “I wouldn’t say amiss. But they need to follow the right path,” Bhaskaran responded.
The state kabaddi association has recently faced divisions within its ranks. Swapan Banerjee, the president of the Bengal Olympic Association, acknowledged that similar issues were resolved in table tennis and he intends to do the same for kabaddi.
The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) in Kolkata will kick off with an intense clash between the Bengal Warriors and Gujarat Giants. The match is scheduled to take place on February 9 at the Netaji Indoor Stadium. After suffering three consecutive defeats, the Bengal Warriors made a strong comeback in their last game against Dabang Delhi KC, securing a seven-point victory. Nitin Kumar, the right-raider, was the standout performer for the Bengal team, accumulating 13 points from nine successful raids. Captain Maninder Singh also made a significant contribution with eleven points.
Currently, the Bengal Warriors are positioned at the ninth spot in the PKL standings with 44 points from 17 matches. On the other hand, the Gujarat Giants concluded the Delhi leg with a convincing win over the Tamil Thalaivas. Led by an impressive performance from Rakesh, Gujarat scored 42 points, while Tamil Thalaivas managed only 30 points. This victory marked the Giants’ tenth win of the PKL season, placing them fifth in the points table with 55 points.
The coach, Bhaskaran, mentioned that while raiding techniques are progressing well, the team is placing more emphasis on defense. The raiders need to make crucial decisions on when to tackle and when to avoid the opposition raiders. This is an area where the team needs to rectify their mistakes.
Kabaddi historical background of the Bengal Warriors.
The PKL has witnessed numerous fluctuations for the Bengal Warriors over the years. However, the team has displayed greater stability in recent editions of the tournament. In the initial two seasons, the team struggled and failed to secure a spot in the playoffs.
Nevertheless, the team’s fortunes took a turn at the start of the 2016 season as they successfully qualified for the playoffs for the first time. Subsequently, the Bengal Warriors managed to secure consecutive entries in the 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons.
The proprietors of the Bengal Warriors team are responsible for its management and operations.
Owned by Future Group, the Bengal Warriors Team is a franchise competing in the Pro Kabaddi League. Kishore Biyani acts as the promoter of the team, and since 2017, the team has also had the privilege of having Akshay Kumar, the well-known Bollywood actor, as a co-owner.