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Pro Kabaddi League's first poster boy Rahul Chaudhari recently disclosed the story of how he got his first PKL deal. The Uttar Pradesh-born player received his maiden contract in the league from Telugu Titans, who were coached by J Udaya Kumar.
In a candid chat with Star Sports after retiring from PKL, Rahul Chaudhari said that he wanted to play kabaddi live on TV, which is why the money did not matter to him. He spoke with Telugu Titans coach J Udaya Kumar and promised him he would give his 100% to the team.
Narrating the meeting with J Udaya Kumar before the first PKL Auction, Rahul said:
"I told J Udaya Kumar Sir 'Take me in the team, I will do whatever you say, I will try to play well. I will not disappoint you. I don't care about money; I just want to be on TV'. So, at that time, Telugu Titans signed me for ₹8.2 lakh at the auction."
Rahul Chaudhari also mentioned how his seniors would make fun of him at that time by saying that he did not have any special skills to make it big in Pro Kabaddi League.
"I started playing nationals in 2010 for Uttar Pradesh. Since then, I read reports of Pro Kabaddi League starting and the matches would be live on TV. Somewhere in my mind, I always had that thought that I will play in the league one day. However, some seniors would joke at that time that who would pick you, all you do is running from here to there," Rahul said.
"We went from general coaches of train to flights and 5-star hotels just like that" - Rahul Chaudhari opens up on playing in inaugural PKL season
Next, Rahul Chaudhari shared details of how the lives of kabaddi players changed significantly after the birth of PKL. All of a sudden, the players found themselves in five-star hotels and traveling in flights after struggling in general coaches of trains for years.
"Even after the auction, we were not ready to believe that actually a big kabaddi league was starting. But as soon as the camps begun and we got a chance to live in 5-star hotels. We went from general coaches of train to flights and 5-star hotels just like that. When we would be welcomed in 5-star hotels, it all hit differently to us," Rahul Chaudhari said.
"As soon as we entered the rooms of 5-star hotels for the first time, we would start jumping on the beds and show the videos to our family members and friends," he hilariously added.
Rahul Chaudhari has retired from PKL now. The Show Man played his last season for Jaipur Pink Panthers in 2023/24, where he earned six points in four matches.
