PKL 2025: Puneri Paltan captain Aslam Inamdar credits family, praises Gaurav Khatri and team’s defensive strength

Puneri Paltan captain Aslam Inamdar said his elder brother inspired him to play kabaddi and credited PKL for giving players recognition and stability. He praised Gaurav Khatri, Vishal Bhardwaj, and Gurdeep, highlighting team bonding and strong preparation for the new season.

Hyderabad: Puneri Paltan captain Aslam Inamda said that he started playing kabaddi by watching my elder brother Rahul who was respected in their locality and in the Marathwada area.

“We didn’t have much, but whatever I have now is because of the hard work done by my family and I. PKL has changed everything for players like me. It gave us respect, recognition, and a steady income. I never thought I’d come this far. PKL gave people like me a real chance. Things weren’t always easy, and I had to learn from tough times and the people I met. Today, who I am on the mat is shaped by those experiences,” Aslam said in a chat on JioHotStar.”

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On fitness, recovery, and managing travel across a long season, Aslam said every team would get ready in its own way, but the main thing is to have a good physio and fitness staff. Over a long season, recovering is just as important as training. “Now, players are the ones telling trainers what they need; whether it’s strength training or special drills, and they work with coaches to decide how much practice is needed.

There’s a lot of travel and changes in weather; that can tire you out. This is exactly when physios, trainers, and good nutrition, like proteins, vitamins, and supplements, help a lot,” Aslam said.

” The pre-season camp is where you learn about your game and what you can do. There are many young players in our team; I try to spend time with them, share meals, and talk about how to deal with things. It helps build trust and makes the team stronger,” he said.

On Gaurav Khatri’s talent, insight into training sessions, team bonding and support, the Puneri captain said that Gaurav had been with us for a long time. “He’s a special talent, one of India’s best corners in my opinion. Our coordination is natural because I know his strengths. Vishal (Bhardwaj) joined last year and brought great confidence. At Puneri Paltan, we play for the team. Our raiders give defenders belief.

Vishal tells me he’s improved since joining us. Last season, he went unsold; this season, he’s among the top performers,” he said.

“Gurdeep has valuable experience despite being young. During pre-season, our coordination clicked quickly. Vishal had played with us, and Gaurav and Abinesh (Abinesh Nadarajan) led our coordination.

When Gurdeep came in, we focused on how to set him up within our group. During practice sessions, we challenge Gurdeep constantly; our raiders keep testing him. So overall, the team is preparing really well,” Aslam said.