PKL 11 Season Review: Did overspending on Sachin Tanwar cost Tamil Thalaivas their season?

Tamil Thalaivas finished 9th in PKL 11.

Tamil Thalaivas entered Pro Kabaddi 2024 (PKL 11) with high hopes, starting the season with strong victories over Puneri Paltan, Patna Pirates, and Telugu Titans. However, their momentum quickly faded as they struggled with consistency, suffering consecutive losses to Haryana Steelers and UP Yoddhas.

A key reason for their decline has been the absence of captain and star defender Sagar Rathee, who was ruled out after an injury in the opening match. His impressive track record in previous seasons, including a 53% tackle success rate and 226 tackle points, left a significant gap in their defence. Without his leadership, Thalaivas failed in PKL 11.

Also Read: PKL 11 Season Review: Why did Puneri Paltan fail to defend their title?

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Another issue has been the poor form of Sachin Tanwar, the league’s most expensive auction pick at ₹2.15 crore. Despite his potential, Sachin has struggled, managing only 64 raid points from 198 attempts in 12 matches, with a low success rate of 32.32%. Spending so much money on Sachin and showing confidence in him proved costly for Tamil Thalaivas.

The team’s rebuilding phase has also played a role in their struggles. With a relatively inexperienced squad, the Thalaivas have found it difficult to form the cohesion needed to compete at the highest level. This lack of unity has been evident in their uneven performances throughout the season. That being let’s take a look at the performers who kept them in the competition.

Top Performers:

Himanshu

Despite his limited appearances this season, Himanshu has managed to make a solid impact as an all-rounder for Tamil Thalaivas. In 12 matches, he has scored 58 points, averaging 4 points per match, with a success rate of 57.83% on 83 raids.

He has contributed 48 raid points and achieved 2 Super 10s and 1 Super Raid, showcasing his attacking potential. Defensively, he has also made his mark, registering 3 Super Tackles and accumulating 10 tackle points from 25 attempts. However, his tackle success rate is 28%

Moein Shafaghi

Following the poor performance of Sachin Tanwar and Narender Kandola’s absence, Moein Shafaghi has been a key player for the Tamil Thalaivas in PKL 11, quickly establishing himself as one of the league’s top overseas raiders. With his technical skill and wealth of experience, he has played a crucial role in the team’s performance this season.

In 14 matches, Shafaghi has scored 113 raid points, averaging 7.35 points per game. His raid success rate stands at 53.92%, demonstrating his efficiency in the attacking department. Additionally, he has registered four Super Raids and four Super 10s, underlining his consistency and ability to produce game-changing performances. With a not-out percentage of 75.39%, he has proven to be a reliable and impactful raider for the Thalaivas.

Nitesh Kumar

While the attacking unit performed below par for Tamil Thalaivas in PKL 11, their defence still showed some promise like it was repeatedly by head coach Dharmaraj Cheralathan, Despite a poor campaign, Nitesh Kumar led the defence by example.

In 22 matches, he has earned 79 points, with 77 of those coming from his defensive contributions. His consistency has been evident in his 3.36 average successful tackles per match and a tackle success rate of 57%.

Not only has he made a significant impact in defence, but his high work rate has also resulted in three Super Tackles and eight High 5s, the highest in the league. Nitesh’s strength lies in his defensive game, making him one of the most reliable defenders in the league.

Special mention

Despite his limited appearances this season, Sourabh Fagare has shown glimpses of potential as a right-raider for his team. In 9 matches, he has earned 21 points, averaging 1.77 raid points per match. His success rate stands at 40% from 40 raids, though he did not score a Super Raid or a Super 10.

With a not-out percentage of 47.5%, his contributions have been more modest compared to other raiders, but there are still signs that he could develop into a more consistent performer with more opportunities. His total raid points of 16 show that while his impact may have been limited, he has been able to make some key contributions when called upon.

Top Performances:

• Tamil Thalaivas 42-32 Bengaluru Bulls (Match 127)
• UP Yoddhas 26-40 Tamil Thalaivas (Match 77)
• Telugu Titans 29-44 Tamil Thalaivas (Match 3)

Coach’s Report Card – Dharmaraj Cheralathan

A lot was expected from someone like Dharmaraj Cheralathan who has been a part of the tournament for a long time. However, the team failed to live up to the potential and Dharmaraj Cheralathan despite seeing his tactics fail continued with the same.

Players like Moein Shafaghi and Himanshu were brought late into the lineup and as much they had impressed in the brief cameo one can only imagine how Tamil Thalaivas’ season would have turned out if they had come in earlier.

Lessons to be learned

A big lesson that Tamil Thalaivas will learn from this season is that money cannot always guarantee success. Despite bringing in the tournament’s most expensive raider, they struggled to perform.

Fans’ View

Tamil Thalaivas were expected for a top finish even though they weren’t major title contenders. However, their strong start did give the fans some hope which was soon relinquished as they succumbed to a string of poor performances ending their campaign at the ninth spot.

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