Big reason revealed why Tamil Thalaivas struggle to continue their golden run this season, PKL 10 season review

The team from the birthplace of Kabaddi couldn’t recreate their success from the previous season.

Tamil Thalaivas was one of the stories of season nine of the Pro Kabaddi League. From roping in Pawan Sehrawat in the auction to losing him to injury in the first 10 minutes of the season, changing coach mid-season to qualifying out of nowhere, it was a classic story for a movie. With so many expectations for the season, having retained their core Thalaivas was expected to make waves this season.

But it turned out to be yet another season of disappointment as they failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons. The Thalaivas started the season on a positive note as they won two of their first three games and had the team to go all the way to the title. But lost momentum during mid-season as they had a 7-match losing streak, from which they never really recovered.

While they finished ninth in the points table, let’s look back at how their season unfolded.

Top Performers

Sahil Gulia

With 69 tackle points, Sahil Gulia proved to be the top defender for Tamil Thalaivas while displaying his exceptional form in defense. Sagar couldn’t play all the games and in his absence, Sahil assumed command of the defense and showed his abilities. The fact that he played every game of this season speaks volumes about his fitness and he was a constant threat to the opposition Raiders in the left corner. Had he got more support from his cover defenders, the team would have won a few more games.

Sagar

Sagar was appointed as the skipper of the Tamil Thalaivas having led them to their first-ever playoffs in the last season. Along with Sahil Gulia, the right corner defender formed a wonderful duo as they were making it difficult for the Raiders to get away with easy points. Sagar was the first to score 50 Tackle points this season. His rapport with coach Ashan Kumar was good to watch as they laid plans and worked in tandem for the success they tasted this season.

Narender Hosiyar

Narender won the best new young player award in season nine and he took the responsibility of leading the team’s Raiding duties. The Dubki Prince continued his good form for the team from the south as he amassed 186 points from 21 games. Although the numbers might be less when compared with his stats from his debut season, it is always the second season for any player which proves to be crucial and the left Raider came out triumph in this test.

Underperformer of the Season

Mohit

The success of the Thalaivas squad have always relied on their defense. They qualified for the playoffs last season thanks to the corner duo of Sagar and Sahil and the cover duo of Mohit and M Abhishek. All four were retained ahead of the auction. While the other three did their job, Mohit couldn’t deliver when it needed the cost. In 17 games this season, he could score only 22 points, which is not going to be enough if you are playing at left cover. He failed to score points and was constantly giving away points, which resulted in the team struggling hard to build momentum.

Special Mentions

One man who continues to weave his magic is Ajinkya Pawar, as he puts the pressure back on the defenders when the stakes are high during do-or-die Raids. M Abhishek was aggressive in making moves to dash the Raiders out. Although his success rate might be less, his strike rate has increased which is a good sign and they will continue to back him to the tilt.

Top Performances

Tamil Thalaivas 42 – 31 Dabang Delhi KC Match 3

Patna Pirates 25 – 41 Tamil Thalaivas Match 75

Tamil Thalaivas 74 – 37 Bengal Warriors Match 126

Manager’s Report Card – Ashan Kumar

Before the second leg of season nine, Ashan Kumar was brought in as the team’s coach and helped turn around their fortunes and get them back on track. He entrusted the players and backed them which resulted in them qualifying for the playoffs. He had plans for the season and it started with retaining the core of the side and didn’t make any big purchases in the auction.

The likes of M Abhishek and Himanshu relish the backing of his coach has expressed themselves better this season. The franchise would want to see him continue as the coach as he will build the franchise which is inevitable to succeed given the young talent they have invested in.

Lessons to be learned

Tamil Thalaivas’ perennial problem has been their tendency to give away leads after starting well. Not just this season, but since their introduction into the league they have lost games after getting a lead at the end of the first half. Lack of experience could be one reason why they lack and roping in an experienced player who could control the game could make a huge difference.

One lesson they have learned successfully is the rewards for backing their players who have shown promise. Sagar, Sahil Gulia, and Narender are prime examples of players in this category. Hope they will continue to do so in the coming seasons to come.

Fan View

As a fan, it was disappointing to see them flounder yet another season after starting well. Tamil Nadu being the birthplace of Kabaddi, it is a shame that the Thalaivas haven’t held their hands on the trophy yet. But, things have bettered in the last two seasons and fans will be hoping to see them continue the good work. The duo of coach Ashan Kumar and captain Sagar has worked well for the franchise.

The fans will continue to support the franchise and in the words of the captain of Chennai Super Kings, if they can follow the process, the results will take care of themselves and it won’t be too long before the team in yellow lifts the trophy like their city colleagues in IPL do.

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