The Tamil Thalaivas are gearing up for an exciting season in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 11, which kicks off on October 18 in Hyderabad. After a disappointing exit in the later stages last year, the team is determined to bounce back with a fresh approach, introducing a dual-coach system. Udaya Kumar has been appointed as the head coach, while Dharmaraj Cheralathan, a former PKL champion, has taken up the role of strategy coach to guide the players and define their roles more clearly.
Having retained their core players from last season, Tamil Thalaivas didn’t make many moves at the Season 11 auction. However, they did make a big splash by securing the services of star raider Sachin for an impressive INR 2.15 crores, the highest purchase of the auction. Let’s dive into the team’s strengths and weaknesses ahead of the season.
Strengths: Team chemistry and strong raiding department
One of Tamil Thalaivas’ major strengths is their ability to maintain team chemistry by retaining key players from the last season. Star raider Narender, who has scored 429 raid points in two seasons, will once again play a crucial role in their attack.
The addition of Sachin, who boasts 952 raid points in his PKL career and is the all-time leader in do-or-die raid points (233), further strengthens their raiding unit. Complementing this is the presence of backup raiders like Vishal Chahal, who managed 34 raid points in his debut season, and the experienced Chandran Ranjit, with 534 raid points, giving their attack a formidable look.
In defence, Tamil Thalaivas have also ensured continuity by retaining players like Sagar, M. Abishek, Sahil Gulia, Himanshu, Mohit, and Amirhossein Bastami. Sahil and Sagar, with 69 and 66 tackle points respectively, were among the top 10 defenders in PKL 10, boosting the team’s defensive setup.
Weaknesses: Lack of defence
One potential concern is how the secondary defenders like M. Abishek, Himanshu, Mohit, and Amirhossein Bastami will perform in case of an injury or dip in form of key defenders Sahil Gulia or Sagar. Last season, Sagar’s absence due to injury negatively impacted the team’s defensive balance, highlighting the need for reliable backup defenders to step up if a similar scenario arises.
Opportunities: Sachin’s chance to shine
This season presents a big opportunity for raider Sachin to cement his place as one of the PKL’s top players. Just 48 raid points away from reaching the 1000-mark, Sachin will be aiming to hit the 200 raid points in a season for the first time in his career. With Narender sharing the raiding load, Sachin finds himself in a better position to perform at his best in Season 11.
Threats: Lack of experienced all-rounders
A notable concern for Tamil Thalaivas is their lack of experienced all-rounders. All-rounders play a critical role in maintaining the balance of a team, contributing points in both attack and defence. The team’s sole all-rounder, Iranian Moein Safaghi, has yet to make his PKL debut, and placing too much pressure on him could be risky. If any key player suffers an injury, the absence of an experienced all-rounder might prove challenging for the Thalaivas to overcome.
As PKL 11 approaches, Tamil Thalaivas will be hoping that their new coaching setup, strengthened squad, and strategic moves can help them go the distance this season.
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