Indian Basketball Team sharp shooter Gurbaz Sandhu grateful for InBL Pro U25 experience

New Delhi, 6 February 2025: Gurbaz Sandhu, a 25 year old from Abohar, Punjab, stepped on the court as the Captain of the Punjab Warriors in the InBL Pro U25 at the Tyagraj Sports Complex in New Delhi yesterday. Although his team lost the clash against Chennai Heat 65-77, Gurbaz and his teammates put up a spectacular fight to keep up with the Heat till the third quarter.

“I think the game was pretty physical. We made some mistakes in the first half, we had some gaps in the defensive end. As the game went on, we started getting better shots and were better with closing down some of their inside shots. However, this was just our first game together. We have been training together for two days now. So, I think in the upcoming games we probably will turn out to be one of the best teams in the league,” Gurbaz reflected.

Gurbaz played multiple sports as a kid but basketball held a certain allure and in 2016 he left his hometown to join the Ludhiana Basketball Academy to further improve his game. With his hardwork and determination Gurbaz polished his shot, making himself a potent weapon from the three point line. And in February 2023, he finally made his debut for the Indian Basketball Team during the FIBA Asia World Cup Qualifiers.

“To get a chance to play with the international players and the exposure we get from these players, the physicality, the intensity of the game is unmatched. We don’t have this in India right now, so absolutely this will help players develop much faster,” he revealed the league’s impact on Indian players.

Gurbaz along with his Indian teammates like Princepal Singh and Harsh Wardhan Tomar will be looking to soak up the experience from internationals stars like Lucas Barker, Uche Dibiamaka and Stokely Chaffee during the course of the league.

“We have to find some great players to play with, then only we can improve.I have been playing against international players since making my debut but playing with them is a different experience. Sharing a dressing room and having team meetings with them gives us insights into how they approach the game and I am sure we will benefit from this in the long run,” he signed off.

The Punjab Warriors will now aim to get their first win in the league in their next match against the Mumbai Titans on 7 February.