PKL 11: Ashok Shinde appointed as new Puneri Paltan coach
Ashok Shinde has been the mentor of the Yuva Paltan.
Youth Paltan mentor Ashok Shinde has been appointed as the new Puneri Paltan head coach, for the remaining matches of Pro Kabaddi 2024 (PKL 11). The development comes after BC Ramesh stepped aside as the coach and took up the role of team advisor, following some below-par performances by the star-studded outfit. The team took to their official Instagram page, to make this announcement.
The defending champions have struggled for rhythm in PKL 11, ever since they lost skipper Aslam Inamdar to injury and have won just two of their last nine matches. While the key members have been out of form, the team’s downward slide can also be attributed to some questionable decisions taken by the coach, as he kept making a number of substitutions in every match that bore no fruit.
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Owing to a brilliant start to the tournament, they are still well and truly in the reckoning for a playoff spot though, as they currently occupy the eighth spot in the PKL 11 table with 47 points after 16 matches. Paltan have cumulatively played out seven wins, six losses, and three ties.
Ashok Shinde’s appointment brings hopes for Puneri Paltan
However, with time running out, Puneri Paltan will hope this changes their fortunes. Ashok Shinde is a well-known name in the kabaddi circuit. The Arjuna awardee has been part of two Asian Games gold medal-winning outfits. He has coaching experience in a variety of teams at different tiers. He has coached the Air India Kabaddi team for more than a decade. At the international level, Shinde coached the Japan National Team during the Kabaddi World Cup 2016.
Most importantly, Ashok Shinde has been the head coach of Puneri Paltan previously. After taking the wooden spoon in the first two seasons, Paltan enjoyed third-place finishes in the next two seasons. This was courtesy of the work put in by coach Shinde, who focused on assembling a side that could stake a claim for the title.
The idea of making Yuva Paltan was presented by Shinde himself before PKL 5. The academy has been a feeder to the main team for quite some time now. Barring Mohammadreza Chiyaneh Shadloui, all the key members from the title-winning squad last time have emerged from this system.
Aslam Inamdar, Mohit Goyat, Pankaj Mohite, Akash Shinde, Gaurav Khatri, Abhinesh Nadarajan, and Sanket Sawant never really had to work on cohesion and coordination, as they stayed together throughout the year and participate in tournaments and are well versed with Ashok Shinde’s methods.
This was seen in their gameplay in the previous season, as they redefined kabaddi with their aggressive style of play, demolishing opponents along the way. Coach BC Ramesh himself acknowledged Shinde’s contribution after the team clinched the title.
The advantage of Shinde being appointed as the head coach is that the coach and the players won’t take time to adjust to each other. In fact, the players would already be considering him as a father figure. Thus, work can begin quickly so that the team can revive its campaign. The Puneri Paltan will play their next match on December 7 when they go up against the UP Yoddhas.
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