“They want to show off to their families and try to be the stars” - Fazel Atrachali criticizes the mindset of youngsters in PKL [Exclusive]

Bengal Warriorz's newly appointed captain, Fazel Atrachali, didn't hold back from expressing his frustration with the new generation of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) players. According to him, the focus of many young players is misguided, with some more interested in appearing as stars on TV than sticking to the team's game plan.

Atrachali, who has spent over a decade in the league, believes the younger players often put individual interests over the team's, which can create difficulties for both the captain and the entire squad. In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, the Bengal Warriorz captain opened up about the contrasting mindset between younger players and veterans.

"With young players, it’s tough because sometimes they don’t listen. Sometimes, when they’re live on TV, they want to show off to their families and try to be the stars. For example, you might tell a raider to go and come back empty-handed, but they want to get a point and end up getting caught. In defense, it’s the same—sometimes players don’t follow instructions. They think if they do something special, they’ll become the star of the match," Fazel Atrachali highlighted.

"When they don’t play for the team, it becomes a challenge. Some young players, if they listen and follow the plan, can be great assets. But when they don’t, and things go wrong, the coach and manager come to me asking why I didn’t handle the team I can’t say anything. That’s when it becomes difficult," he added.

Atrachali is not just any player voicing these concerns. He is the most successful captain and defender in PKL history, with a massive 486 tackle points to his name. At 32, the veteran left-corner defender has been part of multiple franchises, leading teams like Gujarat Giants, Puneri Paltan, and U Mumba to the playoffs. This season, for the first time, he dons the Bengal Warriorz jersey, taking over the captaincy from Maninder Singh.

Bengal Warriorz had their moment of glory in Season 7 when they clinched the PKL title. But since then, they have failed to reach the playoffs in the last three seasons. Atrachali now carries the responsibility of turning their fortunes around.

He reflected on his impact across different teams and expressed confidence in Bengal Warriorz's chances this season.

"Wherever I’ve played, the team has always qualified for the playoffs—whether it’s Gujarat Giants, Puneri Paltan, or U Mumba. This season, we’re definitely qualifying. Wherever I go, the team qualifies," he added.

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“Nobody cares if I’m the most successful defender or captain” - Fazel Atrachali focused on the team's interests over his personal records

Fazel Atrachali isn’t focused on individual accolades or breaking personal records. Despite holding titles like the best defender and most successful captain, he remains team-oriented.

"The only important thing is the team. I already have a lot of records to my name—best defender, most successful captain—and those don’t matter much. The aim is for the team to reach the finals or become champions. People will always remember that. Nobody cares if I’m the most successful defender or captain, and I don’t care either. You might be happy for an hour, but that’s it," Fazel said.

Even though he’s critical of the mindset of some younger players, Atrachali sees potential in the Bengal Warriorz squad. He identified a couple of young stars who, in his opinion, have the skills to shine in PKL 11.

"I think Nitin Kumar and Arjun Rathee will play well. I’ve seen them in practice, and they have many skills. Some raiders have only one skill, making it easy for opponents to analyze them. But our players have 4-5 special skills, which makes them harder to predict," Fazel Atrachali concluded.