"Kabaddi was the only game in my village": Bengaluru Bulls' Pardeep Narwal reflects on his journey

Speaking about his journey on the 'Kings of Kabaddi' episode of Star Sports, Narwal said, "The journey has been very good. I joined the Pro Kabaddi League in its second season. In my family, my uncle played Kabaddi, and there was a lot of passion for the sport. We had many senior and skilled players in our village. Kabaddi was the only game played, so I decided to choose it too."

Narwal expressed his admiration for Kuldeep Narwal, saying, "I have been inspired by Kuldeep Narwal. I learned a lot from him. He was an all-rounder, excelling in both defence and offence. We also played together for the Patna Pirates."

Reflecting on his early years, Narwal added, "I started playing Kabaddi when I was around 8 or 9. I would leave home with my bag and head to the ground. I used to attend school only to mark my presence and then come back to play. My family thought I was going to school every day. Later, my father found out that I wasn't doing well in studies, so he allowed me to pursue Kabaddi. My family fully supported me."

Narwal also recalled a significant turning point in his career. "There was a tournament in my village where Joginder and Manjeet were present. The coach noticed me, and soon after, I received a call from Joginder Narwal, inviting me to join Bengaluru Bulls. That's how my career started."

Speaking about his career progression, Narwal said, "When I joined in season 2, I hoped for a successful season 3 as well. I worked very hard at home, and my efforts paid off in season 3. It has been an amazing journey through season 3, season 4, and season 5, where we won three consecutive trophies. Winning three titles back-to-back is tough for any team, and I always told myself to work as hard as possible for my team and myself."

He also shared his close bond with coach Ram Mehar, saying, "He had the most trust in me, believing I could do anything in a match. He made me cry and also made me happy. He led us to win three trophies, and I couldn't ask for more from him."

Narwal opened up about dealing with injuries and their impact on his performance. "In every player's life, there are ups and downs. My family is always supportive, and they don't need to be told. They watch the matches on TV and point out my mistakes. Even my wife tells me. My father often reminds me to raid from outside, and my coach also advises me when I make errors."

Reflecting on his decision to enter the PKL auction, Narwal concluded, "I played for Patna Pirates for many seasons, and then I thought, why not experience the auction once? There were so many players going to the auction, and I wanted to see what it felt like." (ANI)