"The entire journey has been truly amazing" - Maninder Singh reflects on playing first and 1000th match in Pro Kabaddi League [Exclusive]

July 26, 2014 - a young, well-built raider, Maninder Singh, of the Jaipur Pink Panthers took the court against U Mumba in the curtain-raiser of the Pro Kabaddi League. Maninder, who was starting off his journey, made an instant impact in the game.

Playing as second fiddle to Jasveer Singh, the ace raider with a deadly scorpion kick, Maninder managed to pick up a handful of points for himself.

Fast forward to Monday, January 15 - Maninder will not only be the captain of the Bengal Warriors but also their lead raider in the 1000th match of PKL's history.

To add to his laurels, he was the third-highest-paid player in the 10th edition, with his price easily exceeding ₹2 crores. It has been a journey filled with ups and downs, but in the end, Maninder has emerged as the superstar he was always destined to be.

Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, Maninder Singh reflected on the journey over the years and all the changes that the game has undergone. Read excerpts from the interview below:

Q: You’ve been part of the first match of PKL and will now feature in the 1000th match. How does it feel to be part of both these landmark games?

Maninder Singh: It's a very big thing. Kabaddi is such a game where injuries keep happening. So, from playing the first match to the 1000th match is a big thing. There is excitement as well to play that match. All of us who played the first match together, we're in different teams now in various positions.

Q: You started off as the secondary raider and from there, have gone on to being the captain of your team and the third highest-paid player this season. Take us through the journey and how it has been?

Maninder Singh: The entire journey has been truly amazing. Kabaddi has become very fast now and to play for such a long time, there needs to be a lot of support from a lot of people. I have been with Bengal for four/five years and our team doctor has been very helpful. I keep talking to him constantly and he keeps me fit. This has been a very great journey so far.

Q: How excited are you and the team to be playing this match?

Maninder Singh: There is excitement for sure. There is excitement to play any PKL game. We have won the last two games so the team's confidence is also very high. It will be a really good match against the Bulls.

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"If I am fit, I will continue playing" - Maninder Singh on playing the 2000th Pro Kabaddi League match

Q: You have watched the game evolve from Season 1 to Season 10. What are some of the biggest changes that you've seen?

Maninder Singh: There have been a lot of changes in the game. The introduction of do-or-die raids and super tackles have really made the game quicker. Right from small kids to elder people, everyone loves to watch kabaddi now.

Now, kabaddi is not just followed in Punjab, Maharashtra, or Haryana, but rather the whole world watches it. Don't need to waste time as well, there is a result in 40 minutes.

In season 1, there used to be one doctor and one coach. Now there is a doctor, physio, and two coaches, and even more support staff. They have a big hand in kabaddi's success. There are injuries sometimes, so they play a huge role in getting players fit.

Q: Do you wish to be a part of the 2000th match of PKL as well?

Maninder Singh: We cannot say anything as such in kabaddi. If I am fit, I will continue playing and if God wishes, I will definitely feature in the 1500th or 2000th match of Pro Kabaddi as well.