Nitesh looks to take the mat by storm
Playing in the Pro Kabaddi League for the first time can be quite intimidating with star players being around.
Nitesh Kumar
CHENNAI: Youngster Nitesh who was introduced to Kabaddi, started his first strides in the game on mud surface and has come a long way transitioning to mat surfaces on the big stage at Pro Kabaddi League (PKL)
Nitesh, who has made his debut this season for Tamil Thalaivas under the New Young Player (NYP) category has been a great addition to the league for young talents between the ages of 18 and 22.
Speaking to DT Next about his initial inclination towards kabaddi, Nitesh said, “It started when I was in school, saw many of my friends were playing kabaddi and I thought why not try it. Slowly my interest grew and that was the time when I started watching Pro Kabaddi which made me love this sport even further.”
For the 19-year-old young talent, Yuva Kabaddi Series proved to be the place where he got recognized for his defending prowess. Representing Periyar Panthers team, the left corner defender got 30 tackle points in the 2022 Monsoon edition of the league. His impressive performance acted as a pathway to the senior league.
Playing in the Pro Kabaddi League for the first time can be quite intimidating with star players being around. Sharing his experience of being with the Tamil Thalaivas squad, he said “The team has established players and initially I felt nervous being around them. But nonetheless it’s the realisation of a dream to play with such players whom I grew up watching on TV. Pro Kabaddi provides youngsters such as me with a great platform to prove our worth.”
The atmosphere of a PKL match will be electrifying with fans, music, lights etc. This will be something new for young players coming into the league for the first time. Divulging his views on that, Nitesh said, “Once we are on the mat, our focus is strictly on the game. These cameras are not a distraction for me and I remain completely focused,” he added.
Nitesh, who has played six matches this season so far, has acquitted himself well in the Thalaivas defence. He kicked off his debut game with a clever move to stop the captain of Dabang Delhi, Naveen Kumar, which caught the eyes of the fans in recognising his talent.
