Charkhi Dadri (Haryana), Jul 24 (IANS): Pro Kabaddi League veteran Sukesh Hegde has revealed that young players keep motivating him to get better amid the growing competition.

The 32-year old Hegde has been one of the top performers for Karnataka in the ongoing 69th Senior National Kabaddi Championship 2022, here.

"I have been playing in the Pro Kabaddi League since 2014. It's been really good to play in the competition. However, there are a lot of young players that have emerged now and they keep motivating me to get better as a player," said Hegde on his longevity in the kabaddi circuit.

Sukesh called Pro Kabaddi League a great platform for players and looked forward to the Season 9 player auction, which will be held on August 5-6, 2022 in Mumbai.

"The kabaddi players around the country have got a stage to showcase their talent. I will certainly give my best performance for whichever team picks me in the auction," he said.

On the sidelines of the National Kabaddi Championship, Services Sports Control Board's Arjun Deshwal also shared his thoughts about his 2021-22 season in the PKL. The raider had a breakout season with 268 points in the competition.

"I gained a lot of self confidence last season. I worked very hard and put up a good performance in the season. I will give my 100 percent in the next season as well," said Deshwal.

Deshwal also said that constant practice has helped him improve his game.

"After Pro Kabaddi League, I played in the Inter-Services competition and after that I went for the Services camp. With constant training, I have been able to improve my game,'' the raider said.