Having returned to India despite opportunities elsewhere, Bentinidis said his decision was driven by unfinished business and his belief in the country’s wrestling potential. | Photo Credit: Sandeep Saxena

India’s new men’s freestyle wrestling coach Shako Bentinidis believes reigning U23 world champion Sujeet Kalkal has the potential to become an Olympic medallist but must further sharpen his technical skills to dominate the highly competitive 65kg category.

He also urged Indian coaches to continuously upgrade themselves through greater exposure to international training methods and evolving tactical trends in the sport.

Returning to India after a successful four-year stint with Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia, the Georgian coach made it clear that his mission extends beyond preparing elite wrestlers for major events.

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Well-versed with Indian culture, Bentinidis joined the national camp in Lucknow on Saturday and immediately got down to business, watching the trials for the Asian Games.

He wants to create a culture of continuous learning among Indian coaches, whom he feels need greater exposure to international training methods and evolving tactical trends in world wrestling.

Bentinidis, who guided Bajrang through one of the most successful phases of his career, described Sujeet as the natural successor in India’s rich 65kg tradition that previously featured legends such as Sushil Kumar and Bajrang.

“First it was Sushil Kumar, then Bajrang and now Sujeet,” Bentinidis said while assessing the country’s leading 65kg wrestler.

Having returned to India despite opportunities elsewhere, Bentinidis said his decision was driven by unfinished business and his belief in the country’s wrestling potential.

“I love Indian wrestling and I am proud of what we achieved before. This is the next step in my career and I believe Indian wrestling can reach an even higher level,” he said.

While praising Sujeet’s achievements, which include a U23 world title and victories in ranking series events, the coach cautioned against reading too much into success before the Olympics.

“Sujeet has won ranking series tournaments and is a world champion at the U23 level, but the Olympic Games are different. The Olympics are not just about wrestling, they are about psychology, preparation and handling pressure,” he said.

Drawing from years of international experience, Bentinidis pointed out that even multiple-time world champions have failed to win Olympic medals because of mistakes in preparation.

“One wrong decision with weight management, one bad training cycle, one mistake in the final days before competition and your Olympic medal dream can disappear. Every small detail matters,” he said.

The Georgian was particularly impressed by Sujeet’s physical gifts and defensive abilities.

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“When Sujeet adds a little more quality to his technical wrestling, he can beat anybody. He has amazing power, very good defence and great potential. He can become even better,” he said.

Bentinidis also stressed that wrestlers must treat every competition seriously rather than using tournaments merely as preparation events.

“People say losing before the Olympics is not important. I don’t agree. Every competition matters because repeated losses affect confidence and psychology. Every point, every mistake and every match counts,” he said.

Beyond individual wrestlers, the coach delivered a strong message to India’s coaching fraternity, arguing that the country’s coaches must constantly upgrade themselves if Indian wrestling is to remain competitive internationally.

He rejected the suggestion that Indian coaches are poor, noting that the country could not have produced champions such as Sushil Kumar and Bajrang without capable guidance. However, he insisted that the sport has evolved and coaches must evolve with it.

“Every coach needs the next step. Some coaches work in academies for 20 years but never attend international camps or competitions. Wrestling is changing all the time. If you stop learning, you stay where you are,” he said.

According to Bentinidis, simply watching international wrestling online is not enough.

“You learn wrestling in camps. You watch techniques closely, you see mistakes, you understand how elite wrestlers train and prepare. That experience cannot come only from watching videos,” he explained.

He revealed plans to involve academy coaches in national camps whenever possible so they can observe modern methods and carry those learnings back to their centres.

“I want academy coaches to come to camps, learn new techniques and then teach hundreds of young wrestlers in their academies. When coaches learn something new, they become motivated and bring fresh energy into the system,” he said.

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The coach believes Indian wrestling already possesses the raw material required for sustained success.

“Indian wrestlers are hardworking and physically strong. What they need is more tactical and technical understanding. The talent is already here,” he said.

Bentinidis also dismissed concerns about India’s struggles in the higher weight categories, urging wrestlers and coaches to stop dwelling on perceived weaknesses.

“If we keep talking about problems in heavyweight categories, those problems will remain. We need a positive mindset, better methods and more work. Then results will come,” he said.

Published on May 31, 2026