Pro Kabaddi League 2017 Season 5: Patna Pirates coach slams defense after poor show

History didn’t repeat itself in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 5 as Puneri Paltan finally got a win against Patna Pirates. In the history of PKL, it was Pune’s first win against Patna. On the other hand, Patna got a first loss of the season in their kitty today on Day 3 of the Lucknow leg.

The Puneri Paltan coach, B.C Ramesh, admitted, "Our defense got a little weak after the second half. But we were confident after the second half as the team had a good lead."

He praised all-rounder Sandeep Narwal, who recorded a spectacular performance. “If Sandeep Narwal stays and plays more in the match, the team definitely has a lot of advantage. Sandeep is a very good player, physically fit and hence an asset for the team.” The coach further added that there will be changes in strategies for the upcoming games.

Deepak Hooda, captain of the Puneri Paltan, revealed how they planned to keep Pardeep Narwal quiet. “Our strategy for today’s match was not to give the opponent even a single bonus point," he said.

Sandeep said, “Being an all-rounder, I am used by the team as and when required by the team. I can work both as a good raider and an equally good defender. Towards the end, Patna got a few points because of some loopholes in our defense.”

The losing team’s coach blamed it all on the pathetic and disappointing defense of the team since the very beginning of the match. He stated, “The team loses confidence and gets under pressure as soon as the opponent gets a good lead. But Pardeep Narwal is a commendable player. He doesn’t lose hope or the tempo even after a few catches. He is not just the team’s best raider but the best raider of the league. Whereas good players like Monu got low on confidence in the starting of the match just after multiple catches.”

The coach seemed dull and sad and said that the team’s defense didn’t even perform 25% of its of capability. “The team had lost all hopes much before the first half that they can make a comeback but still managed to get a few good points and took advantage of the opponent’s weak defense later in the game," he said.

"It was a much unexpected match for us as from the very beginning the team’s performance went downhill. Even though the raids by the Puneri Patlan were not so good, our defense was worse. We will have to make sure shot changes and improve the performance for the next matches," he said, signing off.