PKL 11: Aryavardhan Navale will be a star in future, says Puneri Paltan coach Ajay Thakur

Defending champions Puneri Paltan finished 8th in the PKL 11 points table.

Puneri Paltan ended their Pro Kabaddi 2024 (PKL 11) campaign on a high with a dominant 42-32 victory over Tamil Thalaivas at the Balewadi Sports Complex on Monday.

Tamil’s captain Nitesh and coach addressed the media after their loss, while Pune’s captain Pankaj Mohite and assistant coach Ajay Thakur shared their views on the team’s win in PKL 11.

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On Aryavardhan Navale’s future

Aryavardhan Navale stole the spotlight with a Super 10, while Gaurav Khatri impressed on the defensive front with a High-5, as the defending champions delivered a complete performance.

“Without a doubt, Arya [ Aryavardhan Navale ] can be an upcoming star for the Puneri Paltan. He is very talented, has a presence of mind, he can be a star for Paltan, ” said assistant coach Ajay Thakur.

On the PKL 11 campaign

The match began with both teams trading early blows, as Abhishek Manokaran opened the scoring for the Tamil Thalaivas with a tackle, but Puneri Paltan quickly took control. Aryavardhan Navale’s impactful raids and Sanket Sawant’s tackle helped inflict the first ALL OUT, giving Puneri Paltan a 10-6 lead. A Super Raid from Navale and V. Ajith Kumar’s contributions extended their dominance, with another ALL OUT pushing the score to 20-7 in just ten minutes.

“See what I felt was that we need to work on our speed, that is where we lack and the game of Kabaddi itself has a need for speed and I think that is where we need to work more next season,” he added.

On Tamil Thalaivas’ target for next season

While Tamil Thalaivas showed some resistance in the second half, with Himanshu and Amir Hossein Bastami making key plays, they could not overcome the double-digit deficit. Puneri Paltan’s defence, led by Gaurav Khatri and Aman, ensured the team stayed comfortably ahead.

“For the next season, we have to improve our offence, our defence has been okay. In the next season we have to make sure our offence and defence plays well together, ” said Tamil Thalaivas coach.

In the final moments, Ali Hadi’s Super Tackle saw Puneri Paltan cross the 40-point mark. Despite a spirited effort from Tamil Thalaivas, including High-5s from Nitesh Kumar and Abhishek Manokaran, Puneri Paltan sealed a well-earned win to conclude their PKL 11 journey.

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