It's two-coach affair for Tamil Thalaivas this season

CHENNAI: Stung by the poor performance last season, during which it languished at the bottom of the table and finished a lowly ninth spot, the Tamil Thalaivas is aiming for a new beginning in the upcoming season with an unusual strategy: the team will have not one but two coaches.

The Tamil Nadu-based franchise has named former India coach Udaya Kumar as its head coach and former Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) player Dharmaraj Cheralathan as its strategy coach. The management has introduced the radical move aiming to bridge the gap between players and coaches by introducing this new coaching format.

"The team has had some bad experiences in past seasons, and there have been instances where the team and the coach haven't been able to cross the finish line towards the end. That's where the strategy coach comes in, to support with important inputs to help the team whenever they are failing. That's the whole idea of this new coaching concept," chief coach Udaya Kumar told DT Next.

Cheralathan, part of the PKL-winning team in season four, brings with him more than two decades of Kabaddi experience. Also, Udaya Kumar added, having him on board would help bridge the gap between players and coaches.

"He is one of the most experienced players in India. He can help guide our players when they feel dejected. He can understand what a player is going through and help them overcome their limits. Having him is an asset for the club," he added.

Expectations from PKL auction

The club is currently running a limited training programme in Kollam, Kerala, where captain Sagar Rathee and some of its seasoned and new young players are training together to understand the team's strengths and weaknesses ahead of the auction. "Last season, we had only left raiders and nobody on the right. We lacked players who could switch cover positions. My priority will be to sign a right raider and a few other key players," Cheralathan said on his expectations from the upcoming PKL auction.

Anuj living his dream after signing for TT

It was a dream come true moment earlier this month when Anuj Kaluram Gawade learnt that he was signed by PKL squad Tamil Thalaivas for the upcoming season.

Anuj, who turned heads during the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) in Tamil Nadu in January, told DT Next that he had carried his books along with his Kabaddi kit, as he would be appearing for his Class 12 board exams after the KIYG league. Now that the exams are behind him, he has joined the Tamil Thalaivas camp and is gearing up for the upcoming season.

Over the years, Anuj had made a name for himself by performing well in the junior nationals and had previously played for Palani Tuskers in the Yuva Kabaddi Series. But his long-time dream was to be part of a PKL club. "I've dreamt of signing for a professional club since the time I started playing nationals," Anuj told DT Next.

New head coach Udaya Kumar also added that he had been following Anuj's game since junior nationals and was waiting for the right time to sign him.