We weren’t playing for a tie: Gujarat Giants head coach Ram Mehar Singh after crucial win over U Mumba

In the high-stakes world of Pro Kabaddi League, young talents often emerge as unexpected heroes. On Sunday at the Badminton Hall in Balewadi Stadium, Pune, Rohit was that hero for Gujarat Giants, turning the tide in a nail-biting 34-33 victory against U Mumba.

Team head coach Ram Mehar Singh didn’t mince words when discussing the young defender’s breakthrough performance. “Rohit is a young player with less experience and match time,” Singh explained.

“We’ve given chances to Jitender Yadav in many matches, and while he has performed well at times when he struggles, we bring in Rohit. Today, he delivered an exceptional performance,” added the head coach of Gujarat Giants.

The match’s turning point came in its final moments. In the last two minutes, Rohit made two crucial tackles. He first took out Ajit Chouhan and then dismissed Manjeet. His tackles were instrumental in creating pressure on U Mumba as the Gujarat Giants hoped to improve on their performances.

While star raiders Guman Singh and Rakesh contributed significantly to the scoreboard, it was Rohit’s defensive prowess that sealed the victory. The coach’s strategic approach was clear: never play for a draw.

“We weren’t playing for a tie,” Singh stated emphatically. “Our goal was to play all out, to give everything until the last moment. Whether we lose or win, we maintain this philosophy,” he said, as the team prepares for a tough run of Matches heading into the final two weeks of the league stage.

Catch all the LIVE action from Pro Kabaddi Season 11 on the Star Sports Network and on Disney+ hotstar.