Vikash Kandola: More interested in how the team performs than personal achievements

Haryana Steelers climbed to the fifth spot in the vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 7 standings after a 36-33 win over Bengal Warriors at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex in Delhi on Monday. Shortly after the final whistle, Haryana Steelers’ star of the match Vikash Kandola and skipper Dharmaraj Cheralathan attended the post-match press conference, while coach BC Ramesh and captain Maninder Singh answered reporters for Bengal Warriors.

Haryana Steelers

Q. Vikash, how did it feel to get a Super 10?

Vikash Kandola: I’m more interested in how the team performs than personal achievements and I am happy that the team won. If the defence doesn’t do well, it’s difficult for the raiders to perform. The most important thing was to get the win and I’m happy I could contribute.

Q. Dharmaraj, your thought on the game?

Dharmaraj Cheralathan: The defence didn’t perform that well in the first half and they got an All-Out. But we regrouped, changed our defence a bit and played and found success. We were raiding well and defending well too from there on in and won the contest. 

Q. What was the strategy in the second half?

Dharmaraj Cheralathan: We went into the game with a plan but weren’t successful. So, we changed our plan at halftime and got successful, which was advantageous to the team. The raiders were finding success just like our defenders and that gave us the momentum for the win. The changes we made was that we brought in an extra defender instead of a raider. Prashanth Kumar Rai was replaced and we changed our approach to the game as well. I played both in the left and right corner positions and changed depending on how advantageous it was for the team.

Bengal Warriors

Q. Coach, where did you’ll lose the game?

BC Ramesh: Towards the end of the match, we had a few lapses. Maninder Singh got caught against two defenders and then our defenders conceded more points, which contributed to the loss. Both our corner defenders didn’t perform very well today and that’s why I think we lost.

Q. Maninder, tell us about the pressure you were under on court?

Maninder Singh: The pressure was there and when I got caught against two players on the mat, I felt the match turned slightly in that moment. If I didn’t get caught then, I feel that we’d have won the game.  

Q. Coach, why wasn’t Sukesh Hegde given a chance?

BC Ramesh: We didn’t use Sukesh today because our three raiders were set and at least one of them were active on the mat almost throughout the game. I was thinking about the change and brining him in but never had the opportunity because K. Prapanjan kept scoring, just like the others.

Q. Your thoughts on Prapanjan’s performance?

BC Ramesh: In the second half, against three, four or five defenders he struggled a bit. But he was outstanding in the first half.