Thalaivas’ Prapanjan gets invite for Asian selection

The tournament, to be held in Gorgan (Iran) from November 22 to 27, will see 11 teams battle it out for the crown. The event is bolstered by the participation of heavyweights India, Pakistan and South Korea alongside host Iran.

A squad of 35 probables has been selected, out of which a dozen players will make the cut to represent the country at the Golestan Province capital. The provisional squad was selected based on the performances in the National Championship. 

Prapanjan, who finished as the second best raider for the Sachin Tendulkar co-owned unit in PKL Season 5, was grateful to the support staff and management for the faith shown in him. “I had only a handful of chances in my previous tenure with U Mumba. A move to the Tamil Thalaivas meant more chances with the backing of coach Kasinathan Baskaran. It helped me in showcasing my talent to the outer world and made me develop various nuances of the game,” said Prapanjan. 

The towering raider walked into the starting-seven of home side, playing second fiddle to veteran Ajay Thakur. Despite a below par outing, he performed brilliantly at various points of the season. 

There was exuberance in his voice when asked about the possibility of making it to the national team. “My good showing at the Nationals has paid rich dividends now. I have always dreamt of representing the country at the highest level. I am delighted to be a part of this selection trials in Haryana,” added Prapanjan.

On the amount of recognition he got after PKL 5, he added: “As a result of more game time, people have started to recognise me even after the end of the kabaddi season. After my stint with the Thalaivas, I have had this blissful feeling of fans treating me like their own kid.”