Historically, the Thalaivas have made the playoffs only once, in Season 9 (2022). Last season, under a dual-coach setup featuring Udayakumar as head coach and Dharmaraj Cheralathan as strategy coach, the team managed just eight wins from 22 matches, finishing ninth on the points table
With a new head coach and a reinforced squad, Tamil Thalaivas look to change fortunes in PKL Season 12
After two back-to-back league-stage exits, Tamil Thalaivas are gearing up for a much-needed revival in Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 12, which kicks off on August 29. The franchise, still chasing its maiden PKL title since its debut in 2017, has made bold moves both on and off the mat in preparation for the new campaign.
Historically, the Thalaivas have made the playoffs only once, in Season 9 (2022). Last season, under a dual-coach setup featuring Udayakumar as head coach and Dharmaraj Cheralathan as strategy coach, the team managed just eight wins from 22 matches, finishing ninth on the points table.
In response to the underwhelming performance, the Chennai-based outfit parted ways with both coaches and returned to a conventional coaching structure. They have appointed Sanjeev Baliyan, a two-time PKL champion who guided Patna Pirates (Season 3) and Jaipur Pink Panthers (Season 9) to titles, as their new head coach. Suresh Kumar joins as assistant coach.
Despite missing out on the playoffs in Season 11, the Thalaivas have shown confidence in their core, retaining most of their key players. At the Season 12 Player Auction, the franchise spent a total of ₹4.973 crore to acquire five fresh talents aimed at strengthening their squad.
With a revamped coaching staff and a solid roster, the Thalaivas are eyeing a turnaround season in their pursuit of PKL glory.
Strengths
Tamil Thalaivas will undoubtedly possess one of the strongest raiding units in the upcoming edition of the Pro Kabaddi League.
At the PKL Season 12 Player Auction, the Thalaivas strengthened their squad by acquiring the services of Raid Machine, Arjun Deshwal, for a whopping INR 1.405 crore. Considered to be one of the top raiders in the league, the former Jaipur Pink Panthers captain has already accumulated 1,174 raid points in 114 games in his illustrious PKL career. He will bring wealth of experience to the Thalaivas’ setup.
Additionally, the Thalaivas signed former Telugu Titans skipper Pawan Sehrawat for INR 59.50 lacs to bolster their raiding department. Nicknamed the “Hi-Flyer”, all-rounder Pawan Sehrawat has amassed 1,318 raid points and 70 tackle points in 139 matches since making his PKL debut in Season 3.
The Thalaivas have also retained Moein Shafaghi and Narender Kandola, who were their standout raiders last season. While Iranian all-rounder Moein racked up 103 raid points, Narender contributed with 82 raid points in Season 11.
The likes of Vishal Chahal (right raider), Dhiraj Ravindra Bailmare, Yogesh Yadav, Abhiraj Manoj Pawar (left raider) and Rohit Kumar Beniwal (left raider) are the other attacking options in the squad.
Weaknesses
It will be interesting to see how the Thalaivas’ defence rises to the challenge in PKL Season 12. While they have captain Sagar Rathee, Nitesh Kumar, new recruits Alireza Khalili, Mohit and Suresh Jadhav in the corner positions, one of the biggest weaknesses that the Thalaivas may have to deal with is the lack of top players in their cover positions.
The Thalaivas have Ronak and Tarun as their right covers, while retaining the likes of Anuj Kaluram Gawade and Aashish in the left cover positions. While they may lack extensive PKL experience, this season will be their chance to prove their mettle.
Opportunities
With an aim to clinch their first-ever PKL trophy, the Thalaivas have appointed Sanjeev Baliyan, one of the most successful head coaches in the league’s history, as their new head coach.
Sanjeev Baliyan boasts a brilliant coaching record in the PKL, winning titles with Patna Pirates in Season 3 and Jaipur Pink Panthers in Season 9. Under Baliyan’s guidance, the Pink Panthers have also qualified for the PKL Playoffs in the previous three seasons before ending his stint after PKL Season 11. He will have the opportunity to script history and guide the Thalaivas to the PKL Season 12 glory.
Meanwhile, Pawan Sehrawat will be aiming to regain his top form after struggling with injuries in the previous seasons. In Season 11, the veteran all-rounder played 13 matches for Telugu Titans and was later sidelined after succumbing to an unfortunate injury. Earlier, representing the Thalaivas, Pawan suffered a knee injury in PKL 9 season opener against Gujarat Giants in November 2022. He was ruled out of the tournament and had undergone surgery for the same. After rejoining the Thalaivas at the PKL Season 12 Player Auction, Pawan will be hoping to repay their faith with some match-winning performances and an injury free campaign.
Threats
A lot of how the Tamil Thalaivas’ season unfolds could depend on the form of Nitesh Kumar and captain Sagar Rathee. Right corner Sagar and left corner Nitesh are the experienced defenders in the Thalaivas’ setup for the upcoming PKL Season 12. With 77 tackle points in 22 games, Nitesh was their standout defender last season as he finished with the third-most tackle points in Season 11. He will need to continue his brilliant form in the forthcoming season. However, Sagar will be returning after playing just a solitary game in PKL Season 11. The talented right corner missed the majority of last season due to an injury. While Sagar has accumulated 226 tackle points in 71 matches, there will be some injury concerns heading into the new season.
Just like Sagar, Pawan Sehrawat has suffered multiple injuries that have sidelined him from games in recent seasons, including nine matches last campaign. Any further injury to Pawan in Season 12 could put huge pressure on the likes of Arjun Deshwal and Narender Kandola in the Thalaivas’ raiding department.
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