One of the top raiders of the star sports Pro Kabaddi League, Ajay Thakur is certainly one of the key components for the Bengaluru Bulls and will have to play a huge role if the Bulls are to win the competition this year.
Hailing from a small town in Himachal Pradesh, Ajay was picked to play for the Indian team at the age of 19.
In this interview with Sportskeeda, the Asian Games gold medalist Ajay Kumar spoke about his love for the game and reminisced about a few delightful moments from his past.
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Here are the excerpts of his interview:
Q. When did you start playing Kabaddi?
Kabaddi is the game associated with our village. I am playing Kabaddi since my childhood. We did not have any other game in our village to play. I decided in the childhood itself that I have to make my career in Kabaddi.
Q. When did you think of adopting Kabaddi at the professional level?
During my school days, I have one thing clear that I need to play Kabaddi and get a job in that. My goal then was to play for India and get a job through the game. I never thought that a tournament like Star Sports Pro Kabaddi will come. My dream was to represent India at international level.
Q. What kind of support did you get from home for choosing Kabaddi as a profession?
I always had a great support from my father. My father was also a national level Kabaddi player. He did not play at the big level, but he knew that what happens when we play at national level, how to get a job through it. He supported me from the beginner level.
Q. What is the advantage you think you and other new players are getting from Star Sports Pro Kabaddi?
This is the game associated with villages. All kinds of people watch it. Before that Kabaddi players were not getting that much coverage but now everyone knows that he is Ajay Thakur or he is Rakesh Kumar.
Q. Would you like to tell us about how you felt when you were first asked for an autograph by a fan?
Definitely, we had our first match in Mumbai. After the game when we came back to the hotel all the staff of ITC were saying that what a royal game it is, we haven’t seen a game like this before. They are just not aware of the intensity and stamina required in such game. There were many people took photos and autographs with me. The journey started from there.
Q. Do you think that Star Sports Pro Kabaddi has attracted more people towards the sport?
Yes, before that when we used go in some tournament only 20-30 teams were used to take part. Now that number becomes more than 100. Star Sports Pro Kabaddi promoted Kabaddi at such big level. In every village, school people are talking about this. People used to ask us that when the season will start. After the end of last season people were talking that we have nothing to watch on TV now.
Q. What is the happiest moment of your career in Kabaddi?
The happiest day of my life was when I got selected in the Indian team for Indoor Asian tournament. I was only thinking that I am going to play for India. I was just 19-year-old. My father, my whole village were celebrating that day.
Q. Do you think that the players are getting enough support from the government and federation?
Our federation is doing lots of things for players. They are doing whatever they can to support the players.
Q. Would you like to tell us about your injury after the second game this season?
I had a hamstring injury. I am yet to fully recover from that. Our physio is constantly monitoring it.
Q. You also had some problems at home just before this tournament. Can you tell us about that?
Yes, my father was not well. He was in serious condition. I was very much tensed because of that. I was not even able to concentrate on my practice. Now he is well and fit.
Q. You had a verbal fight in the previous game with Jasvir in Jaipur, because of which the whole team seemed angry at the time. What was the reason for the altercation?
Such things happen in the game sometime. Later on I realized that I did something wrong. That time I just thought that he tried to hit me intentionally and got angry because of the heat of the movement. Later on I realized that even if he hit me I can simply tell him that why are you doing this. We play for the same country together, we must avoid such things. I feel sorry for that.
Q. You have your next match against Telugu Titans. What do you think about their performance?
They have a very good team. All the players are playing very good and they are young players.
Q. Have you devised any special strategy for playing against them?
No, there is nothing like that. We will play according to the condition on the mat.
