PKL 11: Coaches of all teams for upcoming Pro Kabaddi League season 11

All the franchises have announced their head coaches for PKL 11.

They say in a game it is the players who play the game to win trophies and not coaches. It is true for all the games but in a few sports, the role of a coach is extensive. Kabaddi is part of that selected list where the head coach can make a telling impact in the game.

Considering the coaches are seated right behind the players, the proximity of the entire action can be captured well with our own eyes. The nature of the sport of Kabaddi is that a flaw in the movement of a raider, and a misdirection of a defender could be capitalized to get points, and coaches with their experience can get these nuances right which can help the team massively.

Pro Kabaddi League has seen on numerous occasions how coaches in the final minutes give out strategies for the players to win games. Few coaches have nurtured many youngsters to unleash them in the leagues. The upcoming season of PKL (PKL 11) will have such coaches for all 12 teams. Let’s look at those who are plotting their teams’ success.

Gholamreza Mazandarani – U Mumba

Gholamreza Mazandarani is the first and the only foreign coach in the history of PKL. His first experience in PKL was with U Mumba in season six when he took them to semis. After a few seasons, he returned to guide the team but the results haven’t gone their way. But the season two champions wanted to build a team and the Iranian is a fantastic fit for that scheme because he has shaped many youngsters into quality players. Fazel Atrachali to Amirmohammad Zafardanesh, the list seems to be increasing every year. Known to push for players’ fitness, he will be working to bring back the glory days of U Mumba.

Jasveer Singh – UP Yoddhas

Jasveer Singh has been the coach of the UP Yoddhas since the inception of the team into the league. Joining the team after retiring from the army, the UP-based coach is known for his coaching prowess and was given recognition for his exceptional work, including an award from the Chief of Army Staff. He started his coaching career by taking over the reins of the Nashik team where he unearthed talents like Monu Goyat, Nitesh Kumar, Narender, Jaideep, and Mahender. With him at the helm, the Yoddhas have made it to the playoffs in the first five seasons only to miss out last season. He has built a new team to aim for the title.

Joginder Narwal – Dabang Delhi KC

After leading Daband Delhi KC to a title as a captain in season eight, Joginder Narwal has taken over the role of the coach to get their hands on the trophy again. The left-corner defender has been one of the veterans of the sport and also knows the franchise having spent three years with them. Having quit his space on the mat, he was appointed as the assistant coach of the team last year and has been elevated to the role of the head coach. Known for constantly communicating with his players, he will be a great asset to Dabang Delhi in their bid for a second PKL title.

Krishna Kumar Hooda – Telugu Titans

Telugu Titans appointed Krishna Kumar Hooda just days after the completion of season 10. It was an act of desperation from the Titans who finished at the last place for a third consecutive time. The team required an experienced coach to take over and none better than the Dronacharya awardee himself Krishna Kumar Hooda. It was Hooda who guided Dabang Delhi to back-to-back finals and a title in seasons 7 & 8. He has developed players like Naveen Kumar and Vijay Malik. Incidentally, Hooda bought the latter at auction. He will look to change the fortunes of the Titans.

Manpreet Singh – Haryana Steelers

One could be a fan of any player in PKL, but everyone will be a fan of Manpreet Singh, the coach. Winning the PKL as a captain in Season three with Patna Pirates, he took up coaching the next year taking Gujarat Giants to the finals for two consecutive seasons. After leaving Gujarat, he took over the mantle of Haryana Steelers in season nine. In season 10, it was yet another final where he ended up on the wrong side. Known for wearing his heart up his sleeves, the Punjabi coach would want to break the final jinx and probably break into a bhangra dance on the day of the finals.

Narender Redhu – Patna Pirates

Patna Pirates have retained Narendra Redhu as their head coach for the upcoming season of Pro Kabaddi League. The three-time champions appointed him last season and he took them to the semifinals only to lose to eventual champions Puneri Paltans. The appointment of him last year raised a few eyebrows as his previous experience in PKL didn’t pan out well. Serving as assistant coach of Haryana Steelers in Season six, the team finished last. However, his experience with Army teams competing in All India A-Grade tournaments gave him extraordinary inputs about the domestic talents which helped the Pirates move from 10th place to the last four.

Prashant Surve – Bengal Warriorz

Prasant Surve is one of the new coaches to be taking over the team for the upcoming season. Having served as an assistant coach for the last two seasons, his promotion will help in the continuation of the players. He seems to have taken a big tick to his name in the auctions with the buys of Maninder Singh, Fazel Atrachali, Nitesh Kumar, and Mayur Kadam. The Warriorz have the team on the paper to go all the way and Surve would like to ensure the performances are reflected on the mat as well.

Ramesh B.C – Puneri Paltan

The coach of the defending champions is a well-known face among the Kabaddi circles. Having led Bengal Warriors to title in season seven he did with Pune last season. His coaching style is quite different as he focuses on team building and creating camaraderie among players. Last season saw them spend a barbecue night by the pool in Bangalore or a visit to the coastal town of Mahabalipuram during the Chennai leg, the management did well to strengthen team bonding. They have retained the essence of the squad and will look to repeat the same to defend their title successfully.

Ram Mehar Singh – Gujarat Giants

Ram Mehar Singh, has made a name for himself in the Kabaddi circuit first as a player and then as a coach in the last three decades. He is well-known for his motivational abilities like he did to Rakesh Sungroya which inspired him to bring his best. He led the Patna Pirates to complete a hat-trick of PKL titles and led the Gujarat Giants to playoffs last season. His strategy to let go of many players ahead of this season has divided the house. But with his vast experience including as head coach of the Indian team, he must have plans and the fans will have to wait till he executes it.

Randhir Singh Sehrawat – Bengaluru Bulls

Randhir Singh Sehrawat is the only coach to be associated with a single franchise for 11 years. While many have switched sides for better opportunities, his dedication to the sport and loyalty have kept him with the Bulls since the inaugural edition. He has found many stars like Rakesh Kumar and Pawan Sehrawat. He led the Bengaluru Bulls to a title in season six and this year with another young squad will be looking to repeat the feat of 2018.

Sanjeev Kumar Baliyan – Jaipur Pink Panthers

Sanjeev Kumar Baliyan is one of the most wanted coaches in the Pro Kabaddi League. His accolades speak for themselves, as he led Patna Pirates and Jaipur Pink Panthers to the title in his first year as the head coach of the team. He will again be the guiding light for the inaugural champions. The former Indian captain is a veteran of the sport and believes that building rapport between coach and players is key to success. His working relationship with Arjun Deshwal has taken him to great heights and both will look to get a third trophy for the Panthers.

Udaya Kumar J – Tamil Thalaivas

Tamil Thalaivas have reunited with Udaya Kumar as their chief of the coaching staff. He was with the franchise earlier and had to leave them mid-season during season nine. He was replaced by Ashan Kumar who took the team to their first-ever playoffs. But the team from the birthplace of Kabaddi has again opted for the former India coach who led India to three gold medals in the Asian Games. Thalaivas will also have their local hero Dharmaraj Cheralathan as their strategy coach. The Tamilnadu man recently coached Indian Railways to the finals of the senior nationals. He will look to bring out his experience to help the team get to that elusive title.

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