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U Mumba's promising young raider Jai Bhagwan recently shed light on his journey leading up to the Pro Kabaddi League 2022, where he was the only player to be selected from the Khelo India Youth Games by the Mumbai-based franchise.
The 18-year-old, who has become an integral part of the U Mumba setup, has time and again delivered for his side in crucial situations and has played his part as the secondary raider of the side.
Adept at picking up bonus points, Jai Bhagwan can pick up some handy points when the opposition has a defense of six or seven. The raider has also made a habit of picking up multi-point raids, which are much welcomed by the defense-dominant side.
Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, Jai opened up on his inspiring journey, which saw him develop a liking towards the sport when he started playing it during his childhood in his village in Rajasthan. He recalled:
"I started kabaddi in my village. I started playing when I was young. Soon, I played at the university level. When I used to play in my village, I had the aim of making it big in the sport. I played a couple of Nationals and then I played at University Games."
Highlighting the difference between playing in the Khelo India University Games and the Pro Kabaddi League, Jai mentioned that the main difference is the quality of players along with what is at stake every time the side takes the mat. He explained:
"There are a lot of differences between University Games and Pro Kabaddi. There weren't a lot of superstars at the university level even though there were some great teams. Here, there are experienced and adept players. It feels amazing to be a part of it. There was no pressure at University Games but here, a lot more is at stake."
"My father and brother have always supported me" - Jai Bhagwan reveals the support he received
Jai also spoke about how his performances took a hit upon his father's demise during the University Games. His father, along with his brother, were two of his biggest supporters while his mother used to ask him to study as well along with pursuing the sport.
The youngster recalls:
"My dad expired when I was playing University Games. I was affected by that but now I am alright. I have a brother too who is in the army. My father and brother have always supported me immensely in playing the sport. My mother does not know a lot about the sport but I have her full support. She used to tell me to study how much is required."
He also touched upon the impact that Pro Kabaddi has had on his life and spoke about how there are kids back in his village who have started practicing kabaddi after watching his success. Jai Bhagwan said:
"Everyone watches me on television and calls me up and asks me to play well. They want me to put in more raids but I am content as long as the team wins. If the team wins, there will be progress for me too. There are little kids who used to come and watch me practice in my village. They play kabaddi themselves now and the number of kids has increased even further."
On being asked what advice he would give up-and-coming kabaddi players who want to succeed in kabaddi in the manner that he has, Jai emphasized how there is no substitute for hard work and consistency.
"I would advise them to work hard. To come into Pro Kabaddi, effort and consistency are required. The more effort you put in, the better your performance will be."
"If you don't play well, everyone can see it" - Jai Bhagwan on the nervousness of playing in the Pro Kabaddi League
Playing his first season, Jai spoke about how performances in the Pro Kabaddi League were there for the world to see and how good performances would further boost his career. He chose the Super Tackle that he executed against the Gujarat Giants as his favorite moment of the tournament so far.
"You are afraid when playing with the lights and cameras. If you don't play well, everyone can see it. If you perform well, people will take notice. There is fear but we try to play well. All players have good and bad days. My best moments have been the Super Tackles that I executed, specifically the one against Gujarat when the team won the match."
Lastly, Jai gave his two cents about the difference between playing kabaddi in the sand instead of the mat. He had a few interesting points to divulge and pointed out how the mat better assists raiders.
"There is a lot of difference in playing in the sand and on the mat. In the sand, there is a lesser chance of getting injured. On the mat, the chance of getting hurt increases. On the sand, there are more catches for the defenders.
"On the mat, the raider can speed up and evade tackles. Your speed increases on the mat. In the sand, your foot gets stuck a touch and you can't jump too much but on the mat, you can."
Jai has 45 raid points and six tackle points in the first half of the tournament and is an integral cog in U Mumba's wheel. The side is spinning towards what promises to be a season where the side reaches great heights.
