Puneri Paltan’s rise from bottom club to a semi-final team and a genuine contender for the Pro Kabaddi League crown has been nothing short of staggering. After overcoming a shaky start to the season, the Puneri Paltan have found rhythm and their defence has been uncompromising to say the least. A vital cog in that well-knit Puneri Paltan defence is veteran Jasmer Singh Gulia who has re-invented himself with the Puneri Paltan this season.
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Puneri Paltan’s Jasmer Singh Gulia previewed his side’s semi-final encounter with the Patna Pirates, shed light on the work of Ashok Shinde and described how the Pro Kabaddi League has changed the face of Kabaddi in this country.
Puneri Paltan heads into the semi-final on the back of a huge win. How important was the win over Bengal Warriors?
JSG: The win was very important to us. Last time we played Bengal Warriors, we had to face defeat, but this time, we were determined not to give them any kind of lift before the semi-finals. It was important for us to finish third as we wanted to avoid U Mumba in the semi-finals.
How do you look at the Patna Pirates side?
JSG: Patna is a very good side. They have very good raiders that can hurt any team. But I think their defence isn’t the strongest. But we have to play as per our strengths and I have complete confidence in my team that we will play the final on Saturday.
Do you have any special plans to stop Pardeep Narwal?
JSG: I think Pardeep’s ‘dubki’ has taken everyone by surprise and he is very agile and it becomes difficult to stop him sometimes. We must ensure that our chain isn’t loose and we catch him as he tries to escape with a dubki. We have to be on our toes with Pardeep Narwal.
Puneri Paltan struggled at the start, but now you are in great form. Do you think you are peaking at the right time?
JSG: There were a lot of new players at the start and hence it took us a while to combine. As we started to combine, some of our senior players had to leave to play for India at the South Asian games. The players who came in weren’t very experienced and hence we struggled a bit. But since the players returned from national duty we have been excellent.
Ashok Shinde has master-minded this great overhaul at the Puneri Paltan. How is he as a coach?
JSG: Ashok Shinde has a very unique style. He is more like a big brother than a coach. He is very involved with us and is a part of all the pranks we play. We have many big name players in the team and he is continuously motivating to prove the greatness associated with the name and not just cherish it. The only thing he really demands is, focus. He wants us to be only focussed on the game all the time and that is important to get success.
How has the Pro Kabaddi League changed the game?
JSG: I think the biggest positive that the Pro Kabaddi has that it has given the Kabaddi players recognition. In cricket everyone knows you even if you play Ranji trophy. That wasn’t the case for Kabaddi before, but now all that has changed. The franchises are investing huge sums on kabaddi and kabaddi players as they are now convinced that it will only lead to their benefit. The Pro Kabaddi is responsible for this change in mid-set.
