Goal is to win first title for Tamil Thalaivas in PKL 11 says Narender Kandola: Exclusive

Narender Kandola is one of the finest players in the Pro Kabaddi League.

The 11th season of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL 11) is all set to kick off and the teams are busy in the final minute preparations. However, in the upcoming season, one of the outfits that needs to silence the critics is the Tamil Thalaiavas as they aim for their first-ever Pro Kabaddi League title. They finished in ninth position on the league table during the 10th edition of the league. 

Interestingly, the Tamil Thalaivas have plenty of quality players to turn their fortunes around, including Narender Kandola. The raider is set to play a crucial role in the outfit’s fate in the 11th edition of the Pro Kabaddi League. 

Kandola spoke to Khel Now in an exclusive interview recently where he spoke candidly about playing with Sachin Tanwar, expectations from the upcoming season, and the unwavering support of the fans among other topics.

Here are some of the excerpts from the interview.

Excited to play with Sachin Tanwar 

Tamil Thalaivas made a huge statement by signing Sachin Tanwar for Rs 2.15 crore, the most expensive purchase in the auction leading up to the 11th season of the Pro Kabaddi League.

On the prospect of playing alongside such a high-quality player, Narender said, “We are extremely excited because we have the most expensive player in our team. I am looking forward to creating a strong bond with him.”

With the Thalaivas having quite a below-par outing in the 10th edition, Narender also spoke about making amends and performing better in the upcoming season. “The aim is to cover the mistakes that were made last season. Compared to last season, we will deliver a much better performance,” he added.

Watch the full Interview here:

Playing under J Udaya Kumar

In a bid to turn around their fortunes this time, Tamil Thalaivas appointed J Udaya Kumar as the new head coach ahead of PKL 11. Narender Kandola spoke about the prospect of playing under him and compared his tactics with Ashan Kumar who replaced the former midway through the season when the raider had started in the PKL.

He said, “Both coaches have different philosophies. Udaya Kumar prepares well regarding mat exercises. The players will attempt to work with the coach and not repeat the mistakes from the previous campaign.

“Every coach has their unique way of teaching. Under J Udaya Kumar, we have been working on mat practice twice a day and trying to brush up on individual errors.” he further added.

Team chemistry and pressure of playing for the Thalaivas

Speaking his heart out, the raider shared thoughts about the squad and the pressures of representing the franchise. He said, “There were good NYP players in the Tamil Thalaivas last term and the same can be said about the upcoming season. I think Nitesh Kumar is going to perform well in the season. 

“I will try to give my best for the team. There is not a lot of pressure as we regularly practice for these types of situations.” the raider further explained his expectations ahead of the new campaign. 

Ambitions and the message to the fans

Kandola candidly shared that his goal is to lift the trophy this season and that they need to play as a unit. He said, “The goal is to help the Tamil Thalaivas win the title as they have never become the champions of the PKL. I don’t have any personal milestones in mind, it’s about a team effort. Whether we win or lose, we will do it collectively as a unit.”

The raider also had a heartfelt message for the fans requesting them to keep supporting the side who aim for their first-ever title. In this regard, he said, “We need the fans to keep supporting the Tamil Thalaivas the way they have been doing for the past multiple seasons. We will try to do well and repay the faith of the supporters.”

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