New Delhi, Sep 20 : Ahead of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) season 11, Guman Singh of Gujarat Giants said PKL "changed his life as nobody knew him before".

Hailing from the quaint village of Sherpur in Haryana, Guman recently joined an elite list, when he became one of eight crorepatis from the PKL season 11 player auction.

Roped in by the Gujarat Giants for a whopping Rs 1.97 cr, Guman was among the impressive young raiders in PKL season 10. He scored 163 raid points in 18 matches, the highest for his team, U Mumba.

When asked about the turns his life took since he jumped onto the PKL caravan, Guman said, 'Kabaddi has given me everything. Everyone knows and recognizes me now and it gets very emotional,' he reveals.

Thanks to his success in kabaddi, he was able to build a house for his family and secure a job in the Railways. 'Pro Kabaddi League, has changed our lives. Nobody knew us before, but now everything that we have is because of the league.'

But what many do not know is that Guman could have excelled in a different sport altogether when he was young. 'I was fond of cricket but decided to switch to kabaddi after my uncle recognized my ability at a very young age. The PKL also started around the same time (in 2014), and everyone wanted to be on TV!'

'I started playing to get away from my studies, but when I realized the benefits, I decided to pursue this sport as my career,' he added.

At just 15, Guman moved away from his family to train at the Narwal Kabaddi and Sports Academy in Rindhana, about 150 kilometres from his village. 'It was initially hard because I was living away from them. But when I started training day and night, and I never took a break, I felt confident in myself,' he recalled.

His hard work began to pay off, leading to his big break with the Jaipur Pink Panthers in PKL season 7 back in 2019. And although his time with the franchise was limited, Guman valued the experience. 'I was lucky to get a chance with Jaipur Pink Panthers even before I played nationals. I did not get to play much but I learned a lot,' he said.

This experience proved crucial at the Nationals with Chandigarh. He was selected by the Patna Pirates in the very next season in 2021. It was his first stint under his current coach, Ram Mehar Singh, scoring 95 raid points in 19 matches.

'You could say that season 8 was my breakout moment with the team,' he shared. 'Coach Ram Mehar helped me improve my performance and made me a better Kabaddi player.'

The 25-year-old was the third-most expensive player from the season 11 auction held on August 15-16, and alongside Parteek Dahiya and Rakesh, will form the core of the Gujarat Giants' raiding department.

As he joins the team, Guman is optimistic about the future. 'There is always going to be pressure. When I spoke to Coach Sahab, he told me not to take tension. He wants me to train with an open mind. When the coach is motivating you, then you automatically want to give your best for the team,' he explained.

He is also excited about the challenge that lies ahead, aiming to achieve great things together. 'I have played with a few people in my team and I have a lot to learn from them. We need to complement each other, make the team click and ensure it works throughout the season. We have some very good young players and we are excited to take this team to new heights,' he said.

/IANS