JSW Sports owned Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) team Haryana Steelers kicked off their pre-season at the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) in Vijayanagar on May 1, 2019.
The Steelers will be at IIS for 20 days while the foreign players in the squad will join their teammates in the beginning of June. The team identified this facility as the main purpose of the camp is to focus on the fitness of the players. "They will undergo medical tests which will help us analyse them individually," said Rakesh Kumar, Head Coach of the Steelers.
After the much-anticipated player auction held in April, Kumar explained the thought process that went behind gathering the team in their third season. "We wanted to have a good balance of seasoned pros along with young legs. The idea behind roping in more young players was because the season is long, and almost all players will need rest at some point. That's where the young players will get a chance to prove themselves. I believe it will work with our current team because new players adjust themselves quickly with the style of play, so we have to work on their positions during the game and help them coordinate better with the senior players," expressed the former national player.
The two-time World Cup winner further explained, "Young players' grasping power is very high and they adapt sooner which will help us to fill the gaps and make sure the team is at its best when they hit the mat during the upcoming season."