List of coaches released ahead of PKL 12

Some franchises made tough decisions before the next season of PKL.

Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 (PKL 11) ended with a stellar finish where Haryana Steelers defeated Patna Pirates (32-23) to lift the trophy. Once the season ended, it was time for the management of all 12 teams to look back and analyse their shortcomings. A few teams wasted no time and released their coaches to start over their preparations from the beginning and try to get as ready as possible for the next season.

A couple of decisions were expected as their results came through. However, one decision surprised the kabaddi fans and experts. Here we take a look at the list of coaches who were released by their respective franchises after the conclusion of PKL 11.

Also Read: Three teams who should change their head coach for PKL 12

Sanjeev Baliyan (Jaipur Pink Panthers)

Jaipur Pink Panthers announced the release of their head coach, Sanjeev Baliyan, through their social media handle. Baliyan was another spectacular coach who made the Pink Panthers a champion side in season 9. However, his course as a coach was a highly mixed bag of results. Baliyan was the head coach for the Panthers for 4 seasons, out of which the team reached 3 times into the playoffs.

Season 11 was one of the most mixed seasons for the franchise where they dominated a few matches and were even thrashed a couple of times, especially in the eliminator where they lost to the UP Yoddhas by a 28-point margin. He had a great time with the franchise, but it eventually ended.

Also Read: List of teams with most appearances in PKL finals

Ram Meher Singh (Gujarat Giants)

Arjuna Award recipient Ram Mehar Singh also ended his role as coach of Gujarat Giants. PKL 11 was the worst season for the Giants in their PKL history. Perhaps this is why the management took this strict action and released the champion coach who had led Patna Pirates to the PKL trophy in Season 5.

Singh coached the Giants for three seasons, but they failed to lift the trophy even once. That is why the franchise released him and now the management will look for a better replacement and hope for better results.

Narender Redhu (Patna Pirates)

This decision came out as the biggest stunner of all. Nardender Redhu was released just after the Patna Pirates lost the PKL 11 final against the Haryana Steelers. Redhu joined the Pirates as the Head Coach in season 10 and delivered excellent results in both seasons.

The Pirates qualified for the playoffs in seasons 10 and 11. In PKL 10, they got eliminated in the Semifinal losing to Puneri Paltan, who later became the champions. In season 11, they lost the finals to the Steelers. Although the management was quick to take this decision, it will be interesting to see who will they appoint as the new coach for PKL 12.

Which of these releases came as a shocking decision to you and which one do you agree with? furthermore, which coach would you want these teams to pick for the upcoming season? Let us know in the comment section.

Also Read: Top 10 biggest talking points of Kabaddi in 2024

J Udaya Kumar & Dharamaraj Cheralathan (Tamil Thalaivas)

After a disappointing season, Tamil Thalaivas‘ management have decided to pull back from their dual coach strategy and have released both, the head coach, J Udaya Kumar and Dharmaraj Cheralathan.

The team decided to go with a new approach in the PKL 11 but failed to find the results they were looking for. The Thalaivas finished in ninth place with 13 losses, 1 draw, and just 8 wins under their belt. As the CEO of the franchise, Shushen Vashishth stated, they will be looking for a fresh perspective and approach moving on to the upcoming season.

Randhir Singh Sehrawat (Bengaluru Bulls)

After a disastrous PKL 11, where they finished bottom of the pile with just two wins and 19 defeats, Bengaluru Bulls and head coach Randhir Singh Sehrawat have parted ways. The franchise announced the decision on January 28.

Randhir Singh had been part of the Bulls franchise since the inaugural PKL season in 2014 and guided the side to title in 2018. His 11-year stint with Bulls was the longest in PKL franchise. The Bulls have announced BC Ramesh as their new head coach for PKL 12.

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