Shubham and Aditya Shinde: The formidable right- left corners of Bengal Warriors

Season 10 of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) is already underway in style. Over the years, this mega marquee tournament has produced umpteen thrilling contests and equally large numbers of star players, some of whom having made it to the coveted Indian team.

In the latest episode of Sports Katta, Amol Gokhale interviews two such players who have “tackled” all the pressure and “held” their nerves through their respective Kabaddi journeys to make an impressive mark in the PKL. Shubham and Aditya Shinde, the brother-brother duo from Ratnagiri, are once again playing for the same team as they always have done since their childhood. This time it is for the Bengal Warriors in season 10 of the PKL. While Shubham has been playing the PKL since season six and is with the Bengal Warriors from 2022, Aditya has made his debut in the PKL in 2023.

Unlike the common cliché of “I am inspired by my elder brother to play the sport”, Shubham, the elder of the siblings, highlighted his younger brother Aditya’s role in making him fall in love with Kabaddi. Shubham says, “I saw Aditya playing Kabaddi from his childhood. I used to go with him to the grounds and gradually developed interest in the game. I only started playing when I was in 11^th standard (16 years old). Initially, I played at the junior, sub-junior, and senior levels. Later, I played professionally for Central Bank and Air India. From there, I was picked to play for Yuva Paltan. After a couple of years with Yuva Paltan, I was selected for Puneri Paltan in 2018 (PKL 6).”

While Shubham sought inspiration from Aditya, the latter actually was inspired by his elder cousins (brothers), who played Kabaddi. “I used to go with my father to watch my cousins play Kabaddi for their club. I fell in love with the game and I started playing the sport when I was about 12-13 years old,” avers Aditya.

Shubham and Aditya have come a long way from playing for their club in Ratnagiri to representing their district to playing the sport at professional level, which has now culminated into playing for the Bengal Warriors in PKL 10.

Looking back in time, Aditya recalls, “When I saw the first season of PKL on television, my aim was to play in this league. Though before the inception of the PKL, Kabaddi was not much known, today the entire world is aware of it. Besides, it has been instrumental in shaping the careers of Kabaddi players.”

Aditya’s dream has come true as he has made it to the PKL in season 10. While he is playing his maiden season, Shubham, who also aspired to play in the PKL after watching season 1 on television, has already been around since 2018, having represented Puneri Paltan (2018-19) and Patna Pirates (2021) in the past.

Shubham shares, “It has been an incredible journey. When I was picked for the PKL for the first time, I was one of the youngest players of Maharashtra in the Puneri Paltan team. After that, I moved to Patna Pirates and it was indeed an honour to be a part of the team that was already a three-time champion. However, being a part of a champion team is never easy. I had my share of ups and down in season 8. I was in and out of the team and I was not earning as many tackle points as I would have liked for my team.”

Since 2022, Shubham has been with the Bengal Warriors and is ecstatic to be playing alongside his favourite Kabaddi player Maninder Singh. “I feel at home playing for Bengal Warriors, a team that won PKL 7. The set up is quite similar to Puneri Paltan as there are players from Maharashtra in the team. Bengal Warriors,” he exclaims.

Shinde brothers, who have played a lot of club level Kabaddi emphasise the importance of playing a lot of matches for your club, district, etc. and performing exceptionally well in them to be noticed by your coaches and those concerned with the PKL to strengthen your chances of getting picked in the league. Besides, once you have made it to the PKL, you cannot take it easy as the gruelling competition which demands you to play 22 matches across three months, tests your fitness and extracts every ounce of your energy.

Shubham and Aditya have gone through the grind and are now role models for the budding Kabaddi players not only in Ratnagiri but also across India. Having been together since childhood, the bond between this formidable duo has only strengthened, which is quite evident from the way they play on the mat. Shubham and Aditya play as the right and left corners, respectively, for Bengal Warriors.

Spilling beans on their secret of success, Aditya says, “Our bonding and coordination helps us perform better. We communicate through our eyes and body language. He (Shubham) knows when I am going for the ankle hold or thigh hold and similarly, I understand when he is going to attack.”

Shubham agrees with Aditya and adds, “Right from playing for our club, Air India, and then Yuva Paltan, we have always been together playing in the same positions (right and left corners). Unlike others, for us it is not the hours and hours of practice that makes us better but our bond that brings out the best in us.”

There is seldom any doubt that these brothers are the vital cog in the Bengal Warriors. For them, their team’s performance is more important than the individual milestones, and they aim to become the champions in the PKL 10.

With players like Shubham and Aditya, who hail from a humble Kolkewadi village in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district, making it to the biggest stage of Kabaddi in India, have broken the glass ceiling, inspiring youngsters to pursue a career in Kabaddi, a sport that is popularly known as “Pandhari of Maharashtra” and “Aapli Maati Aapla Khel”. Aditya says, “Kabaddi has the potential to be an Olympic sport. It has come a long way from being played on mud to mat, making it faster and riveting. There are no second thoughts about the fact that once it gets popular in India, the entire world will take cognisance of the sport.”

Rapid Fire

What is the one thing that you like about Aditya?

Shubham: Gym (The way he trains for his fitness)

What is the one thing that you like about Shubham?

Aditya: Style

Besides Kabaddi, which sport do you like?

Shubham: Cricket

Aditya: Only Kabaddi

Which is your favourite Kabaddi player?

Shubham: Maninder Singh

Aditya: Nilesh Shinde

If not a Kabaddi player, what would you have become?

Shubham: I would have done a regular job

Aditya: CA

Which is your favourite team in PKL?

Shubham and Aditya: Bengal Warriors

What is your goal in life?

Shubham: Play Asian Games and World Cup

Aditya: Play for India

Outside of Kabaddi, which athlete do you like and why?

Shubham: Ronaldo, I like his fitness, mentality, focus, and the diet he follows

Aditya: Virat Kohli, I like the way he schedules his day. He follows a fixed routine with respect to his sleep, diet, gym, etc. Whether he is playing a match or not, he will make sure he works out in the gym to remain fit. Despite being 35 years old, his fitness is like a 19-20 year old boy.

Watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP_CtoaAH6g