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Rahul Sethpal expects the Haryana Steelers to qualify for the Pro Kabaddi playoffs before the tournament reaches Pankula on February 16. Haryana narrowly missed out on a place in the top 6 during the last two PKL seasons.
The Steelers made some major changes to their squad ahead of Pro Kabaddi 2023, and the team has performed well this season so far. They started with a big defeat but have bounced back strongly with wins in the next three matches.
Speaking exclusively with Sportskeeda during the Pune leg of PKL 10, Haryana's right corner defender Rahul shed light on a lot of topics. Here are the excerpts:
Excerpts from Rahul Sethpal's exclusive interview with Sportskeeda
Q. You played for U Mumba before. Now, you are playing for Haryana Steelers. Tell us about the difference between the environment of the two teams.
Rahul Sethpal: U Mumba team was good. I did not get chances initially, but when the team signed youngsters, I got opportunities to play. Both teams are good. Haryana Steelers supports me a lot. The coaches help me here. Both teams are quite similar, I would say.
Q. Mohit has also moved from U Mumba to Haryana Steelers. How important is his presence for you because you have a good chemistry as corner defenders?
Rahul Sethpal: Yes, you can say like that. If you play with a new player, it takes time to form a combination. With Mohit, I have played last season and also practiced with him a lot. Even in this season, I practiced with him. Things become a little easier. It benefits a lot.
Q. This time, there was just a month's gap between the PKL auction and the season. You had a good combination with Mohit, but did it take time to get adjusted with the cover defenders?
Rahul Sethpal: No, I don't think so. Everyone plays for the team. The combination becomes better as you play games.
Q. You are a right corner defender, but Rinku's presence did not allow you play as right corner at U Mumba. So, how are you feeling now that Haryana Steelers is letting you play at your favorite position?
Rahul Sethpal: I am very happy. It is my position, and I am getting a chance to play there. I am focused on that and working to become better. If I can't perform on any day, then I will try to improve and give my best. I will try to give my best and make the team win.
Q. Last season, we saw that you contributed to the raiding department as well. Will we see you do the same thing in PKL 10 as well?
Rahul Sethpal: Yes, you will see. I have been practicing. Whenever the team needs, I will be available for raiding also.
Q. What would you like to say about your journey in PKL 10 so far?
Rahul Sethpal: Coach sir has been working well. Whatever the team needs, the management is taking care of it. The team is also winning, so I think it is the best for us.
Q. Manpreet Singh is an aggressive coach. Does his coaching style suit you?
Rahul Sethpal: No, that aggression is only for the other teams. He motivates us so much. Even if we make mistakes, he tells us no problem, make mistakes but continue playing your natural game. We lost the first match, but he did not put any pressure on any of us. He only told us to work on our errors. We did it in the next match, and now we are on a three-match winning streak.
Q. Tell us something about Jaideep Dahiya's captaincy.
Rahul Sethpal: He is a cool person. As I said, like the coach, he says it's okay when we make mistakes. He motivates us also. We have played together before also. Our bonding is good.
Q. Your home leg is in the end phase of the league stage. How important will it be for you to qualify for the playoffs before PKL 10 reaches Panchkula?
Rahul Sethpal: Looking at the way our team is playing, I think we should qualify for the playoffs before our home leg. If we do so, there will be a high chance of us finishing at the top of the points table because we will have the home support, which is important in any sport. We will have a ton of momentum as well. If we qualify for the playoffs before home leg, it will be a good thing.
