"I was not that good in studies"- YKS star Nitin Kumar details his life journey, challenges and improvement on the road

Yuva Kabaddi Series (YKS) star player Nitin Kumar won the championship last year with the Hampi Heroes. He is one of the most successful players in the league's history, having scored more than 500 points in the competition.

Nitin's exploits in the YKS helped him secure a big contract worth more than ₹30 lakh in the Pro Kabaddi League. He will turn up for the Bengal Warriors this season.

Before Kumar dons the Bengal Warriors jersey, Sportskeeda caught up with him for an exclusive interview. Here are the excerpts:

Interview with Nitin Kumar

Q. Can you tell us a little about your journey? How did you get into the sport?

Nitin Kumar: I started playing kabaddi after the 10th standard. I was not that good in studies. I am from Haryana and I started training at Pardeep Narwal Academy under coach Naresh Narwal.

Q. What are some of the challenges that you faced growing up?

Nitin Kumar: I faced some challenges in first couple of years, but I was told to focus on my practice only. Gradually, I started playing in local tournaments.

Nitin is among the most successful players in YKS

Q. Did you have support from your parents for playing kabaddi?

Nitin: They have supported me fully. Their support has helped me a lot.

Q. A big contract of INR 32.20 lakh in the PKL - how life-changing is this amount?

Nitin: I am feeling good that I have received a chance to play in the Pro Kabaddi League.

Q. How were the celebrations when you got picked?

Nitin Kumar: My family members were extremely happy. I had been working hard for so many years.

Q. How has YKS helped you?

Nitin Kumar: I was around 20 years old. After playing locals, I came to know about YKS. My talent got more recognition at this stage. Some of the prominent coaches also watched the matches.

Nitin learned from his mistakes after watching highlights on YouTube

YKS match videos were on YouTube, and you get to play against 10-12 teams so you understand your weak points and mistakes. After the match, I would watch highlights on YouTube and see what I had done wrong. I worked on those mistakes after that. The more you practice, the better you become.

More people noticed me after YKS. In other tournaments, you don't get that much spotlight.

Q. Your most memorable moment in the YKS?

Nitin: Winning the tournament with Hampi Heroes in Ranchi in 2022 was the most memorable moment.