HYDERABAD: The much-loved sports league on television ProKabaddi — season 9 is all set to begin soon, where a total of 12 teams will be battling it out to claim the PKL Season 9 title. We catch up with team Hyderabad, called Telugu Titans, who are determined to bring home the trophy this year.
The tournament, which features the best Kabaddi players across the country and other nations, has some icons playing for Hyderabad. We ask Rajnish, one of the best raiders in the country, what the current pulse of the team is and he says, “This season Telugu Titans is an undoubtedly well-balanced team. We have some good young players with young blood and some great senior players in our team, making it well-balanced.” Asked what he thinks is the USP of the team, he says, it’s the right mix of experienced players, coaches with great expertise, and young players.
Surjeet, who is a defender-right cover, says he’s constantly aware of the hopes fans and budding players across the country have on the team and says, “This time we are stronger than before, it is our promise to all of them that we will all that we can and cannot too, to win the cup — the victory will be for all our legendary Telugu Titans fans.”
This is the first time that the PKL will be held with fans in attendance, after the Covid scare. Asked how excited the players are, to play with the crowd in tow, Surjeet says, “This was long awaited, it’s a different feeling to play with cheering for every point and expressing out loud about every dismissal — all of this gives us great courage and added excitement to perform well for them rather than just the cameras. One might think playing in front of a crowd could add pressure, but that’s far from the truth — the crowd ensures we play with double the energy and enthusiasm.”
This year, stalwart Manjeet Chillar dons the hat of an Assistant coach. Asked how the boys have been faring, he says, “The training sessions have been going very well. Preparations for the tournament are racing and we are currently focusing on fitness along with extra skills and strategies.”
He mentions that there’s also some learning to do from the team’s previous seasons. “The team always gave their best and but the better team wins. It’s never too late to get back with full energy. Our target this season is to get qualified and deploy all the experience and great skills to win the cup, no matter what.”
Before he signs off to get back to training, he reveals his mantra: “Discipline, teamwork, and fitness — if we have all the three, nothing can come between us and the cup.”
Assistant coach on team Telugu titans
“The training sessions have been going very well. Preparations for the tournament are racing and we are currently focusing on fitness along with extra skills and strategies. The team always gave their best and but the better team wins. It’s never too late to get back with full energy. Our target this season is to get qualified and deploy all the experience and great skills to win the cup, no matter what,” says Manjeet Chillar, assistant coach