Chennai fans the best in the country: Thalaivas coach Baskaran

“Chennai fans love kabaddi to the core. Without a doubt, I can proudly say we have the best fan base in the country and the attendance recorded for the final was just an evidence for it. In spite of losing all the home games, the fans kept us motivated to do better in our away encounters,” eulogised Baskaran, current Tamil Thalaivas coach. 

According to a release put out by the organisers, Tamil Nadu emerged as the most successful market for PKL 5 with a 3.6 times growth in TV ratings. When queried about the popularity of kabaddi in the state, the former SAF Games skipper said, “The league has attracted all age groups, right from kids to old members of the family. The interest grew by leaps and bounds after the addition of a local team (referring to Tamil Thalaivas) in Season 5. People also kept enquiring me about the scores of India in the just-concluded Asian Kabaddi Championship in Iran. They were upset that there was no live telecast in our country.” 

Only after the advent of PKL in 2014 did a few of the TN players get any opportunity to hog the limelight. As many as 23 members from the state participated in the recent edition across different teams, with Tamil Thalaivas contributing onethird of it. 

“Players like Prapanajan, Thivakaran and C Arun have achieved stardom only after the emergence of PKL. The league has created a better connect between the fans and their favourite stars. The followers have started to eagerly anticipate the announcements regarding the next edition of the premier kabaddi tournament. It shows how much the 12-team event has grown since its inception,” added the 49-year-old. 

Baskaran remains a great believer of espousing a philosophy where youngsters prevail as vital cogs of the unit. “I try to adopt an ideology in which rookies are paramount to our success. Only in domestic leagues like PKL, players like Pradap, Mugilan and Darshan will have the opportunity to display their talents,” he said. 

Commenting on the significance of fielding a lot of youngsters, he added, “There are many who give up sport because of the longevity of the careers the experienced pros have in their respective sports. Only when platforms like these are provided, players will continue to stay in the sport. I feel we have rich talent in TN with people playing kabaddi overnight during weekends.” He also urged the next crop to take up the sport with utmost passion and respect. “One can scale great heights only when there is a perfect amalgamation of concentration, dedication, discipline and practice,” signed off Baskaran.