PKL 12: Anup Kumar appointed as new head coach of Patna Pirates

Anup Kumar has previously coached Puneri Paltan.

Three-time Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) champions Patna Pirates have announced the appointment of former Indian skipper and PKL champion Anup Kumar as their new head coach. This move comes days after Patna’s heartbreaking defeat in the PKL 11 final. Anup Kumar replaced the outgoing Narender Redhu who joined the Pirates ahead of PKL 10 and guided them into the playoffs in both his seasons in charge.

This news has sent shock waves across the Kabaddi circuit because Narender Redhu had delivered convincing results and did not deserve to be replaced and it now remains to be seen where he is headed as a lot of teams have already released their head coaches. Anup Kumar is a valuable addition to the Patna Pirates as he brings with him a lot of experience and expertise.

Also Read: Tamil Thalaivas release coaches Dharmaraj Cheralathan & J Udaya Kumar ahead of PKL 12

About Anup Kumar

Anup Kumar is a household name in the Indian Kabaddi fraternity. Kumar is known as one of the finest players that the nation has ever produced and is mostly known for his heroics for India and U Mumba. He is often referred to as the ‘Captain Cool’ for his cool and calm style of play.

The 41-year-old was a mainstay in the Indian Kabaddi setup and has won the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup, two Asian Games Gold Medals along with one South Asian Games Gold Medal.

Also Read: List of coaches released ahead of PKL 12

The Arjuna Award winner won the Most Valuable Player award in the inaugural PKL season in 2014 before winning the title in 2015. Kumar has scored 527 raid points in 91 PKL games for U Mumba and Jaipur Pink Panthers combined. He then shifted his focus towards coaching where he coached the Puneri Paltan for two seasons and also guided them to the playoffs once.

Patna Pirates’ journey in PKL 11

The Pirates were on fire in the season gone by. They put together a perfectly oiled unit but fell short in the grand finale against the Haryana Steelers while chasing their record fourth title. Patna Pirates finished the league stage in fourth position with 77 points from 22 games. 

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