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The mention of kabaddi often leaves Britons scratching their heads, but a handful of players keen to develop the game in England have tried their best to explain the 4,000-year-old sport, well known to the country’s South Asian diaspora.
“I always say it’s like team wrestling with tag,” England international Felix Li said.
As a modern version of the discipline from ancient India slowly expands its presence globally, a group of enthusiasts from various backgrounds have banded together to establish England as an emerging nation in the sport ahead of a World Cup next year.
Organised by the breakaway World Kabaddi Federation (WKF), the tournament in England will not feature national teams affiliated with its rival governing body, the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF).
However, for many of the dozens of kabaddi players in England, it is still an opportunity. With little money and recognition on offer, these international players find the time to play the sport between their day jobs and other obligations.
Li, a tech manager in a startup, and accountant Yuvraj Pandeya, quit their jobs to pursue their passion abroad – a move that paid off when they were signed by Dabang Delhi in the Indian Pro Kabaddi (PKL), the premier league in the sport.
“Felix is doing a daily vlog where he’s basically sending all the skills that we’ve learnt back to the people in the UK,” Pandeya told Reuters.
Li and Pandeya began training in India in November 2022 after England lost all their games in their debut campaign in the Bangabandhu Cup - an invitational tournament in Bangladesh.
“The problem with kabaddi in UK is that we don’t have the coaches with the know-how,” England player Tom Dawtrey said. “We coach ourselves by watching videos, watching Pro Kabaddi.”
Li, who comes from a family of Hong Kong origin, discovered kabaddi at Imperial College in London.
“I’ve played rugby throughout school. That’s probably why I could make some catches in my first training session,” he said.
Dawtrey says there are a lot of transferable skills between the two sports.
“Some of the tackles are pretty similar, as well as the agility and the strength combination,” he said.
Most England internationals discovered the sport through tournaments organised by South Asian communities or while at university.
“We got into the sport playing it as a hobby. In the UK, it’s still kind of a hobby,” Pandeya said.
Dawtrey said the players in England found it hard to improve due to a lack of tournaments.
Li and Pandeya did not get any game time in Pro Kabaddi this season, but they said the Indian league had provided them with valuable experience.
Dawtrey said he is planning to quit his job in May and travel to India to train in an academy affiliated with Pro Kabaddi side UP Yoddha.
“Sometimes you can’t deny your passion,” Dawtrey said. “Representing my country, taking selfies with fans and seeing their enthusiasm, it’s really validating as a player who’s travelled so far.”
Reuters
