PKL 10: Gujarat Giants have Only title in mind, says Parteek Dahiya

MUMBAI: One of the brightest spots in the Gujarat Giants squad this season has been the young Parteek Dahiya, who has been in fine form for his side, which is captained by Fazel Atrachali and coached by Ram Mehar Singh.

Parteek, who is in his second season in the PKL, came through the New Young Players’ programme in Season 9 and has been one of the standout performers for the Gujarat Giants, the Adani Sportsline-owned franchise, since joining the squad. The ace raider has scored 44 points in the last 4 games, with the Giants having won 7 out of their 11 games.

In fact, against the Bengal Warriors in Noida, Parteek raised the bar, scoring 22 raid points and three tackle points to put in a power-packed performance for the Adani Sportsline-owned Gujarat Giants.

Looking back, Parteek explained, “I started the season a little slowly but now that has changed and I am fully fit right now, and that is showing as I am playing longer durations in the game. What I do is, I keep myself focused on the strategy we have as a team, and look to perform my tasks accordingly, so that it benefits the team.”

Parteek likes to keep things simple –- he is well aware of his responsibilities for the team and is keen to perform as best as he can to help the Gujarat Giants in their hunt for the coveted title. When comparing his first season to the ongoing one, Parteek noted that hard work has been the key to his progress.

“I have been working hard with the coaches and they have been continuously helping me improve in my raiding and even my defensive performances. One of the things I have also worked on has been picking up more bonus points for the team. Ram Mehar Sir is always talking to me about my performances after games and keeps motivating me a lot, and I think he expects me to do better in the future.”

While Ram Mehar is a stalwart in the sport of Kabaddi, Parteek, who hails from a sporting family where his uncle is the former India kabaddi captain Deepak Niwas Hooda and his sister is Asian Boxing Championships bronze medallist Preeti Dahiya, is also delighted to be playing alongside the champion Fazel Atrachali.

“Fazel’s presence is immense for our team as he makes our defensive unit solid and then also motivates all of us at all points, no matter what. He is a very positive character in the team, and he is a very good person to have on your team.”

Parteek, who says that his uncle has been a big influence on his career and dreams of a successful stint in the India colours, has his target set for the season.

“We have to win the PKL title in Season 10. We as the Gujarat Giants have only one target, and that’s the trophy. We have all the support we need from the team owners and the management; the Adani Sportsline team has always done everything to back us fully in every aspect, and we could not be happier about that. It helps us be focused and play better eventually,” he signed off.

The Gujarat Giants will now move to Jaipur, where they will face the Puneri Paltan on 12th January.