'From unsold to becoming PKL star' U Mumba's Rohit Raghav talks about his Kabaddi journey

Rohit Raghav won everyone’s hearts with his brilliant performance in PKL 11.

Seldom do even fairy tales have a twist as big as the one that Rohit Raghav experienced. Things seemed bleak for the all-rounder when he went unsold at the Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 auctions. Life though had reserved a huge surprise for him, as he was picked up by U Mumba ahead of the start of the season, following the release of Shivam.

The 23-year-old from Patauda, Haryana, had 49 points in three editions (he was part of the Bengal Warriorz in PKL 8 and PKL 9 before the Patna Pirates picked him up for PKL 10). The tables turned for him in the eleventh season, as he notched 68 raid points and 11 tackle points for his new side.

Rohit re-defined the term ‘Super Sub’, coming from the bench in almost every game and infusing momentum for his franchisee. His dubkis’ and flying hand touches played a key role in his side closing out several close matches.

One such performance was in Mumba’s 39-37 victory against Jaipur Pink Panthers, where a super raid by Rohit changed the flow of the match. Captain Sunil Kumar admitted that without Rohit’s contribution, his team would not have won.

What should not go under the radar, is his contribution in defense. The raider repeatedly managed to pull off solo tackles and provide valuable assists, sending key opposition raiders onto the bench. U Mumba eventually managed to qualify for the playoffs, for the first time since season 12.

Rohit Raghav, who recently represented Odisha in the Senior National Men’s Kabaddi Championship, took some valuable time from his hectic schedule and gave an exclusive interview to Khel Now. He discussed his experience with the side, the ‘second opportunity’ given by life, and the team’s performances in the last edition.

Also Read: PKL 12: U Mumba appoint Rakesh Kumar as new head coach

Experience with the team

Rohit was thoroughly satisfied with his performances in PKL 11.

“I enjoyed my performance. I put in my 100%. I am glad I could make an impact on my time. My family too is satisfied. I was unsold at the auction. Hence, I had the hunger to do something big. When I got an opportunity, with U Mumba signing me, I wanted to prove my credentials.”

“Getting picked up by U Mumba was one of the most memorable moments of my life. I was unsold at the auction and faced taunts even at home. Hence, I don’t think I will get an opportunity like this again- it was like a new beginning to my life. I was shattered completely earlier, but things changed in 20-25 days. I got a chance to play in the first few matches and took full advantage of the opportunities.”

Playing under Sunil Kumar

The Mumbai-based franchise picked Sunil Kumar at the auction and named him as the skipper. The right cover didn’t disappoint, as he crossed Fazel Atrachali to become the most successful captain in the league’s history. Sunil Kumar is also known for nurturing youngsters, as seen by the rise of Arjun Deshwal (at the Jaipur Pink Panthers) and Ajit (who in his debut season, finished as the fourth-best raider in PKL 11). Rohit considers himself fortunate to have shared the same dressing room as him.

“Our skipper Sunil is the most successful captain in the league’s history. It was Sunil who called me – through him, I joined the team. I got to learn a lot of new things. My confidence was very high and that was mainly because of Sunil. He played a major role in leading us to the knockouts. He surely had an impact equivalent to what the coaches had. He has a good rapport with me, Ajit, etc.”

Sunil is known for his tactical nous. A great thinker of the game, he has played a major role in closing out many games for his team in the past few seasons. While he doesn’t mind letting loose on the mat on a few occasions, he is otherwise known for having a calm head on his shoulders, as was reaffirmed by the former Warriors and Pirates all-rounder.

Also Read: PKL winning captain Sunil Kumar talks about his legacy, bond with Parvesh Bhainswal & more

“He sometimes gets angry on the mat. Otherwise, he is quite cool-headed and funny. He is a mastermind in this game, all the time, he keeps making some calculations in his mind about the game. He doesn’t need scorers or anyone else. His brain is his main strength. I have spent much time with him and recognized that he is cut differently.”

Gelling with the team

Generally, teams have month-long camps before the start of the season, to improve the overall coordination among players. Given that Rohit was included late, he might have trouble adjusting to the team environment. However, he denied any such problems, claiming that he was comfortable since he had played with some of these players before.

“We play local tournaments in Haryana. I have played with Manjeet for the Patna Pirates. I have shared the mat with Sunil and Rinku previously, so I didn’t have much trouble.”

Challenges

The 23-year-old endured many challenges throughout the season, a few of which he mentioned.

“There were several challenges. I had a base price of just Rs. 13 lakhs, but no one bid for me. Before the auction, 2-3 teams had contacted me and expressed interest in buying me. I wanted to prove a point to them too.”

Also Read: PKL 12: List of new coaches announced so far

Analyzing the season

U Mumba managed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time, since season 7. The journey though was far from comfortable. They struggled to string together successive wins. A major reason for that was that most of their matches had a close finish. While they ended on the right side in a few of them, they failed to cross the line in many others.

The season two champions eventually finished fifth in PKL 11, following a win in their last league match. Overall, they accumulated 71 points in 22 matches, with 12 wins, eight losses, and two ties. They were then comprehensively defeated by eventual runners-up Patna Pirates in the Eliminator, thus ending their title march. The lad from Haryana had a few fond memories from the season, but several regrets too.

“We were unable to win back-to-back matches. Our season had way too many ups and downs. About 10-12 matches went down to the wire, with the result being determined in the last two minutes. Those matches were worth every penny for the fans who had come to watch.

While the fans did enjoy it, it was heartbreaking for us. We would win a match by a point, then lose the next one by the same margin. Hence, were under a lot of stress throughout the tournament. Never mind though, U Mumba qualified for the first time after four seasons. In that context, things went well for us.”

Also Read: List of coaches released ahead of PKL 12

The lobby rule

Earlier, even if the raider would enter the lobby without a touch, any defender/s entering the yellow block would be deemed out too. However, after several incidents, including Mohammad Nabibakhsh’s six-point raid for the Bengal Warriorz against the Bengaluru Bulls in PKL 8 and Pawan Sehrawat‘s controversial raid in the Hangzhou Asian Games gold medal match against Iran meant that the rule was updated. Now, the raid is declared null and void after the raider enters the lobby. Rohit gave his opinion on the rule.

“The rule is fair. At first, when you get out because of the rule, you feel bad. However, you eventually realize that the rule is uniform for all teams and doesn’t favour anyone. There were several rule changes, and all of them were fine.”

Looking ahead

Every sportsperson must improve one’s strength, fitness, and skillset to help oneself adjust to the ever-evolving game. The all-rounder acknowledged the need for intensive training sessions with proper guidance.

“I need to improve my skillsets. I am practicing day and night. I have been working with a coach in our village. Every player must improve.”

Also Read: PKL 11 Season Review: Did lack of experienced raiders affect U Mumba’s title hopes?

Message to fans

After receiving immense praise from the fans last season, Rohit gave a special message to his fans before PKL 12.

“Season 11 is nothing compared to what you will see in season 12. You will see a new version of me with more passion.”

For more updates, follow Khel Now Kabaddi on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.