"I will not eat food until you come down"- Aslam Inamdar reveals what coach Ajay Thakur did after Puneri Paltan lost heavily to Patna in PKL 2025

Puneri Paltan captain Aslam Inamdar has disclosed how coach Ajay Thakur motivated his team in a unique way after they lost to Patna Pirates. Thakur called up his dejected players and told them he was at the dinner table but would not eat food until they came down.

Pune suffered an embarrasing 36-47 defeat at the hands of Patna Pirates on September 8. In Aslam Inamdar's opinion, Pune had not lost in such a one-sided fashion in his Pro Kabaddi League journey so far.

Hence, Aslam Inamdar and his players were dejected and went straight to their hotel rooms after losing the game. However, coach Ajay Thakur called them down in the hotel lobby and tried to lift their spirits at the dinner table.

"I have been playing for Puneri Paltan so long. We had not lost in such a one-sided fashion ever before. So, I felt so bad. I and Pankaj were so dejected that we went in our rooms and did not even see our phones," Aslam said at the post-match press conference.

"When we checked the phone, there were 4-5 missed calls from coach Ajay Thakur sir. He said, "I will not eat food until you come down." I told Pankaj that this is the coach we wanted. We got motivated so much," he added.

Ajay Thakur told his players that he was okay even if the team lost their next match against the UP Yoddhas, but he wanted the players to be happy. In Thakur's view, if the players were not happy, they'd not perform their best.

"I think the role of the management and coach increases when there is a downfall of a team"- Puneri Paltan captain Aslam Inamdar

Ajay Thakur reminded his team that ups and downs are part and parcel of life. He said that they should not be disappointed after just one defeat. Thakur's move proved to be a masterstroke as Pune defeated the Yoddhas by 43-32 in the match played on September 10.

"I think the role of the management and coach increases when there is a downfall of a team. If a coach tortures you after losing, that team can never do well. Our Puneri Paltan management sent us motivational messages. CEO Kailash sir did that. Coach Ajay Thakur did that. That is the most important thing," Aslam Inamdar opined.

This victory has taken Puneri Paltan to the top of the Pro Kabaddi 2025 points table. They have four wins after six matches in the league stage. Pune will play their next match against Telugu Titans on September 13.