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Tamil Thalaivas joined the Pro Kabaddi League in season five along with Gujarat Giants, UP Yoddhas, and Haryana Steelers. Despite signing some big names in the PKL, the Thalaivas own the record for the least number of playoffs appearances by a team in the league.
The Chennai-based franchise have made it to the playoffs only once, which was in season nine, when Ashan Kumar changed the team's fortunes. The Thalaivas retained Ashan as their coach for the 10th season as well. However, he could not repeat the magic from season nine as the Thalaivas finished in the bottom half of the standings once again.
With the aim of winning their first Pro Kabaddi League trophy, the Tamil Thalaivas added J Udaya Kumar and Dharmaraj Cheralathan to their coaching staff before the PKL 2024 Auction. The new coaching duo assembled a stellar squad at the auction, and here are three reasons why the Thalaivas can end their trophy drought in 2024.
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#1 Star raider Sachin Tanwar
Sachin Tanwar was the most expensive pick at this year's auction. Tamil Thalaivas went all out to secure the former Gujarat Giants star's services and signed him for a massive ₹2.15 crore.
Sachin has been one of the most consistent performers in the Pro Kabaddi League. Looking at his stats in the PKL, Sachin has scored 1,006 points in 128 matches. He has registered 36 Super 10s, and even after 128 matches, he averages 7.44 raid points per game.
Having maintained his form and fitness so well, Sachin always finds a way to get the better of the opposition defenders. Tamil Thalaivas pulled off a masterstroke by signing him at the auction. If he stays fit throughout the season, Sachin can end the Thalaivas' trophy drought.
#2 The core group of Tamil Thalaivas continues to be the same in Pro Kabaddi 2024
One of the major reasons why the Thalaivas failed in the initial seasons was that they would constantly change their squads. However, the new team management has shown faith in the players who have been with the franchise for quite some time.
Players like Narender, M Abishek, Mohit, Sahil Gulia, and Sagar Rathee have been with the franchise for a considerable time. These players have improved a lot in their stint with the Thalaivas, and the added presence of Sachin Tanwar will help them a lot in PKL 11.
#3 X-factor Iranian players
Iranian players like Fazel Atrachali, Mohammad Nabibakhsh, Abozar Mighani and Mohammadreza Shadloui have made a name for themselves with their solid performances in the Pro Kabaddi League.
Two new names should join that elite Iranian list in season 11. They are Moein Safaghi and Amirhossein Bastami. Moein is a 6 ft 3 in tall all-rounder, who can stun opposition teams with his attack and defensive skills. Meanwhile, Bastami is an experienced defender, who has two High 5s in his PKL career.
If Bastami and Moein bring their 'A' game to the table, Tamil Thalaivas will be an unstoppable force in PKL 11. It will be interesting to see how much game time the Thalaivas team management gives to the two Iranians.
