Hailing from the quaint village of Sherpur in Haryana, Guman recently joined an elite list, when he became one of eight crorepatis from the PKL season 11 player auction.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Roped in by the Gujarat Giants for a whopping Rs 1.97 cr, Guman was among the impressive young raiders in PKL season 10. He scored 163 raid points in 18 matches, the highest for his team, U Mumba.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
When asked about the turns his life took since he jumped onto the PKL caravan, Guman said, \u201cKabaddi has given me everything. Everyone knows and recognizes me now and it gets very emotional,\u201d he reveals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Thanks to his success in kabaddi, he was able to build a house for his family and secure a job in the Railways. \u201cPro Kabaddi League, has changed our lives. Nobody knew us before, but now everything that we have is because of the league.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But what many do not know is that Guman could have excelled in a different sport altogether when he was young. \u201cI was fond of cricket but decided to switch to kabaddi after my uncle recognized my ability at a very young age. The PKL also started around the same time (in 2014), and everyone wanted to be on TV!\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI started playing to get away from my studies, but when I realized the benefits, I decided to pursue this sport as my career,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
At just 15, Guman moved away from his family to train at the Narwal Kabaddi and Sports Academy in Rindhana, about 150 kilometres from his village. \u201cIt was initially hard because I was living away from them. But when I started training day and night, and I never took a break, I felt confident in myself,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
His hard work began to pay off, leading to his big break with the Jaipur Pink Panthers in PKL season 7 back in 2019. And although his time with the franchise was limited, Guman valued the experience. \u201cI was lucky to get a chance with Jaipur Pink Panthers even before I played nationals. I did not get to play much but I learned a lot,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
This experience proved crucial at the Nationals with Chandigarh. He was selected by the Patna Pirates in the very next season in 2021. It was his first stint under his current coach, Ram Mehar Singh, scoring 95 raid points in 19 matches.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cYou could say that season 8 was my breakout moment with the team,\u201d he shared. \u201cCoach Ram Mehar helped me improve my performance and made me a better Kabaddi player.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 25-year-old was the third-most expensive player from the season 11 auction held on August 15-16, and alongside Parteek Dahiya and Rakesh, will form the core of the Gujarat Giants\u2019 raiding department.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
As he joins the team, Guman is optimistic about the future. \u201cThere is always going to be pressure. When I spoke to Coach Sahab, he told me not to take tension. He wants me to train with an open mind. When the coach is motivating you, then you automatically want to give your best for the team,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 25-year-old was the third-most expensive player from the season 11 auction held on August 15-16, and alongside Parteek Dahiya and Rakesh, will form the core of the Gujarat Giants\u2019 raiding department.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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