\u201cAll the fame and money have been the by-product of PKL,\u201d he says with gratitude. \u201cEverything I have earned in my life has come because of this league. But above all, it gave me UP Yoddhas, a team that feels like family.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
That bond with the Yoddhas is what fuels him today. Gill has lived the heartbreak of last season\u2019s semi-final exit, a match he says was decided by \"one raid\". But instead of looking back, he looks forward. \u201cThere is no single mistake to blame. We know margins are thin, but our goal this year is clear, take that extra step and make sure Yoddhas cross the line,\u201d Gill declares.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
What sets the Yoddhas apart, Gill insists, is their culture. \u201cThe league runs for two months. You can\u2019t win every game, but the positivity in our camp never changes. That\u2019s because of the coaches and management.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He adds a telling contrast, \u201cIn other teams, if you get injured, you are sometimes compelled to play. In UP Yoddhas, that will never happen. They put players\u2019 well-being first, always.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The team reflects the spirit of the state of Uttar Pradesh. UP Yoddhas represent the grit, the relentless and the discipline of UP. Every player brings with him a story, which spans from small-town struggles to kabaddi stardom.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He adds a telling contrast, \u201cIn other teams, if you get injured, you are sometimes compelled to play. In UP Yoddhas, that will never happen. They put players\u2019 well-being first, always.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
For UP Yoddhas, the mission is bigger than one player. It\u2019s about a state, a squad and a sporting family chasing its first-ever title. And for Surender Gill, the dream feels incomplete until that day arrives.<\/p>\r\n\r\n