Ajay Thakur: We have a good mixture of experience and youth

The opening match of Season 6 of VIVO Pro Kabaddi in Chennai saw home team Tamil Thalaivas comprehensively beat defending champions Patna Pirates 42-26. At the post match press conference, the Thalaivas were represented by captain Ajay Thakur and coach E Bhaskaran while the Pirates had their skipper Pardeep Narwal and coach Ram Mehar Singh in attendance. Here’s what they had to say.

Tamil Thalaivas

Q. Congratulations on the win! What was your strategy for the game today?

E Bhaskaran: We got a lot of time to prepare as a team, so we played as the team should have played. The plan was to take the lead early on and never let the lead go out of hand and our plan was successful. Ajay (Thakur) played an outstanding game as everyone saw, Surjeet (Singh) got us points when we needed as well. Since our third raider and the defence were above average, we got this result, which is good for us!

Q. Last year this team performed well too but missed out on the playoffs. Do you think that this year the side is balanced with the experience that Jasvir Singh, Surjeet Singh and Manjeet Chhillar and you provide to this side?

Ajay Thakur: We do have a good offence and also a good defence with Manjeet leading Amit Hooda and Darshan J. We have a good mixture of experience and youth. We will give our best, but all games are different.

Q. How does it feel to defeat the defending champions in the first game of the season?

Ajay Thakur: It’s the first match of the new season so obviously it’s a good feeling and the confidence is very high. Both teams have made a few changes from last season.

Patna Pirates

Q. What could be the causes of the result of today’s game?

Ram Mehar Singh: Things do not always go according to plan in a match. We need to look at our combination that took the mat and the correlation between the defence and offense.

Q. Last year you all had good backup for Pardeep Narwal. Do you think that would make a difference this year?

Ram Mehar Singh: I believe we have good raiders… Last season, we were also dependent on Pardeep and Monu (Goyat) but had support from the defence as well. The players are fit and raring to do well.

Q. How will you address your defensive problems?

Ram Mehar Singh: We have two days before our next game to hit back. We will practice more on our defence and hope we get better in the next match. It does take time… but I’m confident we will figure it out. We’ve come back strongly in the previous years as well. We will sort them out in due course.

Q. What do you have to say about your new raider, Manjeet?

Ram Mehar Singh: He’s a young guy who’s booming with confidence. He’s ready to support Pardeep and will do good for the team. 

What could be the causes of the result of today’s game?

Ram Mehar Singh: Things do not always go according to plan in a match. We need to look at our combination that took the mat and the correlation between the defence and offense.

Q. Last year you all had good backup for Pardeep Narwal. Do you think that would make a difference this year?

Ram Mehar Singh: I believe we have good raiders… Last season, we were also dependent on Pardeep and Monu (Goyat) but had support from the defence as well. The players are fit and raring to do well.

Q. How will you address your defensive problems?

Ram Mehar Singh: We have two days before our next game to hit back. We will practice more on our defence and hope we get better in the next match. It does take time… but I’m confident we will figure it out. We’ve come back strongly in the previous years as well. We will sort them out in due course.

Q. What do you have to say about your new raider, Manjeet?

Ram Mehar Singh: He’s a young guy who’s booming with confidence. He’s ready to support Pardeep and will do good for the team.