After five consecutive losses, four changes of venue, and significant adjustments in the playing lineup, Telugu Titans finally secured its first victory in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10, beating Haryana Steelers 37-36 in a thriller at the SDAT Multi-Purpose Indoor Stadium in Chennai on Friday.
The high-fives from Ajit Pawar and Sandeep Dhull, coupled with Mohit’s four points at the counter-offence, led Titans’ defence to stand tall against the raiders of Haryana.
Despite the three players accumulating only 18 points collectively before this game, Ajit, Sandeep, and Mohit collected an impressive 15 tackle points against the Steelers.
Meanwhile, Captain Pawan Sehrawat carried out his duties quietly, notching yet another Super 10 of the season, propelling him to the summit of raiding points in PKL 10.
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“I was looking at the points table before the game, and there were so many losses written in front of our team.... Yeh jeet mili, toh laga paani mila (This victory was more akin to quenching a thirst). But one win doesn’t change anything, it’s a long season, but this is definitely a positive sign,” Pawan, who has been conferred with the Arjuna Award, said after the game.
Titans coach Srinivas Reddy was also a relieved man. “We played as a unit today from the first minute to the 40th minute. All of the boys gave it their all. It’s a team victory,” he said.
Inside the stadium, former Tamil Thalaivas captain Pawan was welcomed with resounding cheers. The audience, enthusiastic about the league’s most valuable player, showed up in full force, steadfastly backing his team throughout the entire match.
“I didn’t feel like I was playing for the Telugu Titans from the moment I walked into the stadium. The fans made me feel at home. It felt like I was playing for the Tamil Thalaivas. Unfortunately, I did not even play one match properly for them last season, but the amount of love shown to me by the crowd was incredible. Nothing compares to this feeling for a player,” he said.
Telugu’s defence unit, which had been abysmal until this game, proved to be game-changer with a solid performance.
Telugu Titans defenders in action against Haryana Steelers’ raider Vinay. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
“I still won’t say they’re at their best. You won’t believe it because of the amount of practice they put in, and coach saab will attest to it. I was denied a single point in the raid during practice yesterday. I made 30 raids and they tackled me each and every time. I had zero points against them,” Pawan, explained.
Coach Reddy stressed that his players require time to unleash their true strengths. “Among the 18 players, 10 are making their debut in PKL. They need time to adjust to the lighting, the crowd and the stadium atmosphere. They need breathing space because they have all the talent. They won’t let Pawan take any points from them in practice, they just need time to improve their pressure-handling game,” he expressed.
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Managing a team labelled as the underdog for multiple seasons presents a formidable task for the leadership unit. “More than facing criticism from outside, we have to face criticism within ourselves. My wife is a commentator, and she often asks why the team is not winning. I had to answer them first before facing the world.
Telugu Titans raider Prafull Zaware with an acrobatic raid against Haryana Steelers. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
“Our fight was within the team and we overcame that once today. Hopefully, we will continue to do that more often from hereon,” he added.
Pawar will face his mentor and former coach Randheer Singh Sehrawat’s Bengaluru Bulls when the Titans take on the ninth-placed team on Sunday.
“It’s like Arjuna going up against Dronacharya. I don’t know about the outcome, but playing against him is very emotional. He’s like a father figure to me. Unka special aashirwaad tha mujh par. He’d given me a free hand to bring any of the players. So players like Aman and Saurabh, who are Bengaluru’s pillars right now, are the results of that. I know their game well, but they also have an understanding of my game... so it will be an exciting competition,” said Pawan.
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