The 27-year-old, who did his marine engineering from the United States of America, looks at sport as life's great education: ``Competitive sport is like a war. One has to quickly recharge the batteries when one is down, because nobody wants to be submissive and dominated by a rival. If your basics are sound, there is no problem, you can overcome any situation.''

Pastala's massive frame, packed in his near six feet, comes in handy. ``You never know whether a plastic pole or a baseball bat is coming at you in the form of opponent. As I play as a prop (in the front), we have to dominate from the beginning. Otherwise, it is difficult to come back in the game,'' he says.

``Sometime you use other means and techniques to put off your opponent from his game plan. People use unparliamentary language, but that's all part of the game.''

`CX' to hisfriends, Pastala was initiated into the game by Rahul Bose, his Indian team-mate, at the Bombay Gymkhana in 1987. Eleven years later, he is part of the first-ever Indian team.

``Since this is the first time we are competing at international level, the players have been told to stick to their basic game, whether things are working our way or not,'' he opines.