UP Yoddha’s main man in the attack, Shrikant Jadhav, is currently one of the finest raiders in the Pro Kabaddi League. But it has hardly been a smooth sailing for the 24-year old, who has seen more ups and downs in his life than a Kabaddi match. The raider has come a long way since almost giving up on Kabaddi early in his career. Here is everything you should know about Shrikant Jadhav:
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Full Name | Shrikant Jadhav |
Age | 24 |
Sport Category | Kabaddi |
Date of Birth | 17 September 1995 |
Hometown | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
Teams Played for | Jaipur Pink Panthers, U Mumba, UP Yoddha |
Playing Position | Raider |
Signature Move | Toe Touch |
Shrikanth Jadhav Biography
Challenging Early Life
Shrikant was born on 17th September 1995 in a small village Dahigaone near Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. Coming from a family of farmers, Shrikant had a difficult childhood. But his father bought a small shop in the village to make sure Shrikant and his siblings get the necessary education.
But young Shrikant had something else in his mind. After watching Arjuna Award winner Pankaj Shrisat play, the youngster fell in love with Kabaddi. Shrikant was never the brightest student in school but his passion for Kabaddi was all he needed.
-- Advertisement --In the 10th standard, Shrikant represented Maharashtra in the National level competition. And with his performances, earned an opportunity to train at SAI in Kandivali, Mumbai. The youngster was trained by the big names of the Indian Kabaddi, Pankaj Shirsat, Nitin Madane and Kashiling Adake.
Back then, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) had a residential program only for the players under the age of 18. So Shrikant had to return to his hometown once he turned 18. And this led to fellow villagers taunting him about giving up on what was already a crazy dream. Shrikant was so disturbed by the whole situation that he almost gave up Kabaddi. But eventually returned to the mat and represented Vidharbha at the national level competition.
The PKL Struggle
After impressive performances at the domestic level, Shrikant grabbed the attention of the Pro Kabaddi League teams. He was bought by the inaugural champions Jaipur Pink Panthers for the second season.
But the ill-timed shoulder injury ended his season without a single appearance. Shrikant did not even have money for the surgery on his injured shoulder. But his friends helped him in such a difficult situation and made sure Shrikant was fit for the next season.
The raider was signed by Bengal Warriors for the third season, where he spent two seasons. And although he played just 10 games in two seasons, collecting only 17 points, these two seasons helped him clear all the debts.
The Rise of the Do-or-Die Specialist
With injuries, family issues, and debts all behind him, it was time for Shrikant Jadhav to shine. And shine he did!
Shrikant played with the legendary Anup Kumar and his coaches at SAI Kashiling Adake and Nitin Madane at U Mumba in season 5. And the youngster was at his absolute best throughout the tournament, which turned out to be his breakout season.
He collected 86 raid points in 19 games and was U Mumba’s third-best raider of season 5. The raider especially made a name for himself in the Do-or-Die situation, collecting 22 raid points in DOD raids. Shrikant also contributed in defence, with 12 tackle points and finished the season with 98 points in total.
UP’s Yoddha
After an impressive season with Mumbai, the raider was signed by UP Yoddha for ₹37 lakhs in the 2018 auction. And there was no stopping Shrikant Jadhav now.
With 141 raid points in 25 games, Shrikant was UP’s second-best raider in season 6. He played a crucial role in taking the Yoddhas to qualifier 2, just a step away from the final. The raider finished the season with four Super raids and five Super 10s. And once again, Shrikant was exceptional in DOD situation, collecting 43 points in DOD raids, joint highest in the league.
By the time the 2019 auction arrived, Shrikant had firmly established himself as one of the finest raiders of the league. Needless to say, UP Yoddha could not afford to lose him and decided to retain the raider for ₹68 lakhs.
PKL Stats: Shrikant Jadhav
| Seasons | Overall | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Matches Played | 71 | 17 | 25 | 19 | 5 | 5 |
| Total Points Earned | 367 | 106 | 146 | 98 | 7 | 10 |
| Most Points In A Match | 17 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 5 | 7 |
| Not Out % | 72.64 % | 77.02 % | 70.48 % | 74.7 % | 68.75 % | 57.14 % |
| Attacking | ||||||
| Total Raids | 775 | 222 | 332 | 170 | 16 | 35 |
| Successful Raids % | 44.77 | 46.39 | 42.46 | 50.58 | 43.75 | 28.57 |
| No of Super Raids | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Super 10s | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Total Raid Points | 347 | 103 | 141 | 86 | 7 | 10 |
| Average Raid Points / Match | 4.88 | 6.05 | 5.64 | 4.52 | 1.4 | 2 |
Signature Move of Shrikant Jadhav
With his quickness and an ability to surprise defenders, Shrikant can get a toe touch before the defender can even realise. The raider has collected a lot of points with this manoeuvre and continues to do so.
Social Media: Shrikant Jadhav
