Three-time champions Patna Pirates will battle Tamil Thalaivas on Friday in Pro Kabaddi League Season 8.
Patna will be returning to the mat after a nine-day break and coach Ram Mehar Singh will be hoping his rejuvenated side can overcome the Thalaivas challenge. The team from Tamil Nadu, despite showing a lot of promise, have just 2 ties and 2 losses in their previous four matches.
The spotlight will be on the defence with top stars on both sides. Patna's Mohammadreza Shadloui has been impressive in the left corner while Sunil's availability in the right will give them renewed energy. The cover combination of Neeraj Kumar and Sajin C. has also performed brightly for the men in green.
Thalaivas also boast an incredible defensive line-up. Captain Surjeet Singh has been consistent in the covers while Sagar has donned the right corner role to perfection. The two will need to iron out the errors against a potent Patna raiding unit. In Sachin, Monu Goyat, Prashanth Rai and Guman Singh, coach Ram Mehar Singh have a plethora of talent to choose from. They will need to upset the Thalaivas by switching left and right raiders.
The Thalaivas have recently looked jaded in the raiding department with Manjeet feeling the toll of a long season. K Prapanjan's long-term injury means coach Uday Kumar will need to find a solution. The dynamic Ajinkya Pawar was the star when the teams met earlier this season, scoring a quick-fire Super 10 to help tie the match.
He could be in the reckoning for a starting place with both Bhavani Rajput and Athul MS struggling to support Manjeet. The team has often played on the third raid which leaves very little margin for error. A bold, attacking strategy against a Patna team playing their first match after a long break, might be a good ploy.
Patna Pirates will be keen to register a victory to ensure they stay on course for a playoff spot. For Thalaivas, the time is now to convert. They've played 6 ties in the season and the players will know they would be on top of the points table had they converted these results into victories.
With both teams eyeing for a win, the match should lead to some fireworks on the mat.
( With inputs from ANI )
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