Exclusive: Maninder Singh on his fitness and Bengal Warriors' strong start in PKL 10

The veteran raider has advised his brother to follow in the matters of fitness.

The Bengal Warriors have had a commendable start to the 10th season of PKL. The team has played three matches so far, winning two and tying one, indicating a strong beginning to the season. For Bengal, key players like captain Maninder Singh, Aditya Shinde, and Shubham Shinde have delivered outstanding performances. Captain Maninder Singh is determined to overcome the disappointments of the past two seasons and lead the team to a strong contention for the title this time.

During an exclusive conversation with Khel Now, Maninder Singh shared his insights and feedback about the team. Let’s find out what he had to say.

Reasons for poor performance in the last two seasons

Bengal Warriors, who won the PKL title in the seventh season, haven’t performed as well in the last two seasons, failing to make it to the playoffs. According to Maninder Singh, injuries to one or two players and losses in initial matches were the reasons for the team’s poor performance. He expressed the team’s determination to avoid injuries and focus on preparing for matches to secure a place in the playoffs this time.

He said, “Our last two seasons went bad because one or two players suffered injuries, and the team lost some initial matches. That’s why we couldn’t make it to the playoffs. This time, our effort is to keep the players injury-free, and we prepare for the camp accordingly. Since there are more young players in the team, injuries are naturally less. We will try to reach the playoffs by winning each match.”

No pressure on senior players

Looking at the Bengal Warriors’ team, it is evident that most players this season are young, with only a few senior players like Maninder Singh and Shubham Shinde. According to Maninder, senior players don’t feel any pressure. Despite being senior players, they are confident and have been playing for many seasons. Shubham Shinde, too, has become a senior player after being part of the India camp.

Maninder mentioned, “There is no pressure on me and Shubham Shinde as senior players. We have been playing for many seasons, so we are quite confident. Shubham has also been part of the India camp and has become a senior player.”

Following Ran Singh in fitness

Although the captain of Bengal Warriors is 33 years old, he is still in excellent shape and performing exceptionally well. According to Maninder, paying attention to fitness is crucial. He mentioned that the diet in Punjab is excellent, with good access to milk and yogurt. Besides, the focus on fitness is significant. Maninder follows his brother Ran Singh in fitness matters and intends to play as long as his brother continues playing.

He said, “Our diet in Punjab is quite good. We get plenty of milk and yogurt there, and we also pay a lot of attention to fitness. My brother Ran Singh is also playing in the league, and I follow him in fitness matters. As long as he plays, I will continue playing.”

Experience of playing under Coach K. Baskaran

The Bengal Warriors are playing under the coaching of K. Baskaran this season. The team had won the title in the seventh season under the coaching of BC Ramesh. Maninder Singh shared his experience of playing under K. Baskaran’s coaching and other coaches.

He said, “Every coach has a different strategy. The new coach has been a big player himself. A strong player also becomes a strong coach. I played with him in the Jaipur Pink Panthers, and we won the trophy. Besides, I played in the India camp under his coaching. So, our coordination is quite good.”

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