A look at players Tamil Thalaivas should retain for upcoming season of PKL

The team disappointed its fans in the last season of the league.

Tamil Thalaivas did not perform to the best of their abilities in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 8. Winning only five of the 22 fixtures, the outfit had to suffer 11 losses. The other six matches ended in ties, which hurt the team’s chances of making it into the playoffs. As a result, the Thalaivas were placed 11th in the points table at the end of the league.

Telugu Titans were the only other team lower than the Thalaivas in the points table. They registered many disappointing performances, coupled with weak raiding that saw the team have a very poor season. 

The need of the hour for the Tamil Thalaivas is to focus on the upcoming season of the PKL. Dwelling too much on past performances will not be productive for the team. The first step in improving the side will be to decide which players must be retained and released. There were a few figures that were particularly impressive in Season 8. As far as retention is concerned, the team can retain six players through the elite retained players category and the other six by the new young players category. 

Let us take a look at the players Tamil Thalaivas should look to retain in preparation for the upcoming season of the PKL:

Players that should be retained

Players like Manjeet and Ajinkya Pawar were decent for the team during the campaign. Manjeet, in particular, came into the fold after delivering impressive performances for Puneri Paltan in the seventh season. He became the top scorer for the Thalaivas last season, despite not performing at the levels people were expecting from him. Manjeet scored a total of 167 points in 20 matches. Being a player with a long reach, it is difficult for other players to stop him, which often works in his favour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xidJZPrnmiY

Manjeet’s footwork is quick and worked as an asset in his game. The raider has learned from his past experiences and could be a good option to retain ahead of the new season. On the other hand, Ajinkya Pawar could also be an option in consideration. He scored 114 points in 18 matches and was impressive with his composure in do-or-die situations, delivering 42 points from those. Such a quality is very useful in many fixtures.

Sagar & Surjeet Singh can be trusted

While Manjeet was the sole shining beacon from the raiding department, two major players in defence, Sagar and Surjeet Singh showed their class as well. Sagar was the second-highest in scoring most tackle points during PKL Season 8. He managed 82 points from 22 outings, also securing eight high-fives in the process. Furthermore, the defender made eight super tackles too. The defence was strong because of him and the team should do everything to retain him.

Speaking of Surjeet Singh, the skipper used his experience really well during the season. He collected a total of 53 points from 20 matches. The duo of Sagar and Surjeet was particularly impressive, helping the team to many major comebacks. If the management retains both the defenders, then it will be a step in the right direction. Their combination could play a vital role and this is an aspect that can be the focus of a rebuild. 

One of the areas that Tamil Thalaivas must work on is the raiding department. They must add more quality there. The new additions could play a good support role to Manjeet, which will further make the team more balanced and a force to reckon with. 

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