Ask die-hard Indian kabaddi fans about the events of August 23, 2018, and there will be collective amnesia. India, a gold medallist at the Asian Games since the sport’s induction, fell to a stunning 18-27 loss to archrival Iran in the semifinal in Jakarta. The players were shell-shocked; the Indian fans, whose boisterous cheers reverberated through the Garuda Hall in the Indonesian capital until about the 30-minute mark, had tears in their eyes.
Ajay Thakur, the Indian skipper, had a cut on his right eyebrow from a tackle earlier in the game. Once the final whistle blew, one could see him on the bench with his teammates and coaches convincing him to come away, but he just sat there, almost numb, with the blood stains on his shirt drying up as the minutes passed. In the days to come, the squad, no matter its legacy, would be torn apart. After seven consecutive golds, the honours board and the podium top step was cleared for Iran.
The Asian Games is here once more and Indian kabaddi is waiting for revenge, a five-year itch that’s shaped the skills and sensibilities of a whole new generation of players. But is Iran still the same bogey team?
