Patna Pirates release head coach Anup Kumar just after PKL 12

Anup Kumar returned home midway through PKL 12.

The Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 (PKL 12) concluded with Dabang Delhi lifting their second title after defeating Puneri Paltan in the Final. However, one team that remained the talk of the tournament was the Patna Pirates.

Once placed at the bottom of the table after 13 matches with just three wins, the Pirates scripted one of the most remarkable comebacks in PKL history.

Patna not only broke into the top 8 after five consecutive victories but also carried their momentum into the knockouts, registering three straight wins and eliminating several strong contenders along the way. After the league ended, the Patna Pirates parted ways with their head coach, Anup Kumar.

He was appointed head coach before the start of the season, but returned home midway through the tournament. After his departure, Randeep Dalal took over the coaching duties of the Patna Pirates.

Patna Pirates’ great run

Anup Kumar, considered one of the greatest captains of his time, having won the Kabaddi World Cup, Asian Games, and one PKL title, also coached Puneri Paltan in Seasons 7 and 8. After that, he stayed away from the PKL until Patna Pirates signed him as their head coach for Season 12.

However, the team struggled under his guidance, winning only 2 out of the 9 matches played during his tenure. Patna then announced that Anup had temporarily left the team and returned home due to personal reasons.

Randeep Dalal, who was serving as the team’s defence coach, took over as the head coach. Under his leadership, the Pirates registered eight consecutive wins, stunning everyone with their remarkable turnaround.

Patna qualified for the knockouts after being placed at the bottom of the table for almost half the season. After that, they continued their brilliant form and reached the playoffs.

In the playoffs, they won the 1st and 2nd Eliminators, defeating Jaipur and Bulls, but fell in Eliminator 3 to the Titans. Patna’s brilliant effort and excellent performance were appreciated by many analysts and even the opposition teams.

Reason behind the release

The possible reason behind relieving Anup from the head coach position could be that the team management found Randeep Dalal better suited for this job.

Under his guidance, the team reached the knockouts from a poor position, and the management might now want to give Randeep Dalal a full opportunity for the next season.

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