An unbeaten run, raiders finding form and consistency, crucial wins over arch rivals Iran (twice) and all this in its first international appearance in five years - the Asian Kabaddi Championships had positives aplenty for team India.
Handling India’s victorious campaign off the mat was a distinguished coaching contingent comprising Ashan Kumar, the man who led the Tamil Thalaivas in a fairytale campaign in the ninth season of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL); Sanjeev Kumar Baliyan, the title-winning coach with the Jaipur Pink Panthers in PKL 9; and Edachery Bhaskaran, who led India to gold in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.
“After the loss in the 2018 Asian Games and missing out on the opportunity to raise our flag in Jakarta, winning this tournament meant a lot, and these kids ensured that this dream was fulfilled by winning every game convincingly,” he said. India enjoyed a dominant run and operated on a far superior level compared to the other participating nations. The only opponent who made India break a sweat was long-time nemesis Iran.
