English faculty member hopes to breach 100-point mark in Pro Kabaddi League 6

Abhinandan Chandel, who is 30 years old, has a bundle of energy up his sleeve, which enables him to escape from his enemies with ease. It’s not an uncommon sight to see teachers drive their wards to go for the full monty, but it is indeed rare when they themselves set their sights on reaching the magical three-figure mark. Chandel is part of the Tamil Thalaivas team for Pro Kabaddi Season 6.

“I wish to score 100 points in this edition. Such performances will help me retain my spot in the Pro Kabaddi auctions next year. It would be nice to continue my association with this franchise, I feel very good here,” said Chandel in an exclusive chat with DTNext. 

While the state he comes from is famous for its hill stations, the second thing that strikes one’s mind is Ajay Thakur, a Himalayan raider himself. 

Chandel shares the same birthplace, Dadhota, as the national team captain. The rise of Ajay at the international arena acted as a stimulus in him taking up the sport seriously. “I have a sporting background and Ajay is from our village as well. He is an idol for everyone in our locality. He was someone I looked up to, right from my childhood days. I was good in studies but I was always passionate about kabaddi since my schooling,” added the soft-spoken raider.   

The amount of admiration with which he speaks of the World Cup winner is at an all-time high. “I always tell my students, ‘If one can manage time well, they will surely reach greater heights, just like Ajay’. They are a big fan of me as well. They are happy that their teacher is part of a highly-rated league.”  

On how he manages to strike a balance between his passion and profession, he remarked, “It’s quite difficult. I rise very early, at 4:30 in the morning. I go to the ground and then come back home to get ready for work. Neither do I spend a lot of time with my friends nor do I relax by watching movies. I will have to make these sacrifices to shine in both.”  

Despite failing to garner playing time on the opening day of Pro Kabaddi 6, the Himachal Pradesh-based lad is enjoying his stint under Edachery Bhaskaran. “It’s (the season thus far) been lovely. He makes us feel like a part of his family. He is one coach who treats every player the same way, irrespective of where you are from and how you play.”