Pro Kabaddi League: Tamil Thalaivas announce Sanjeev Baliyan as head coach for PKL 12

Pro Kabaddi league outfit Tamil Thalaivas earlier today (January 17) announced that it has roped in Sanjeev Baliyan as the team's head coach for the upcoming season. This comes a day after the Chennai-based franchise announced the release of its chief coach, Udayakumar, and strategy coach, Dharmaraj Cheralathan.

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Sanjeev Baliyan is no stranger to the league and is one of the most sucessful coaches having won two titles, one in Season 3 with Patna Pirates and then later on in Season 9 with Jaipur Pink Panthers.

Sanjeev Baliyan joined Jaipur Pink Panthers ahead of Season 8 where the Panthers finished 8th, missing out on a playoff spot. However, the team came back stronger, with the coach leading his troop to the championship in Season 9. In Season 10 and 11, his tactical acumen propeled the team to the semi-finals and Eliminator, respectively.

Speaking about the decision to appoint Sanjeev Baliyan, CEO Shushen Vashishth said that they believe that the coach brings in a fresh energy to the team.

“As mentioned earlier, we are committed to a fresh start for Season 12. We have implemented several internal changes and believe that the appointment of Sanjeev Baliyan as head coach will bring a new perspective and energy to the team and its players," he said.

What could Tamil Thalaivas's strategy be for PKL 12?

It is highly unlikely that Sachin Tanwar will be retained given his hefty price tag and poor form that saw him pick up just 90 points from 17 matches. The team is also likely to release experienced players such as Chandran Ranjith and Abishek S Manokaran.

The Chennai-based team might look to retain the services of Nitesh Kumar, Narender Hoshiyar Kandola, Himanshu, and Moein Shafaghi and build a team around them. Sachin Tanwar's release would also mean that the team has a good purse going into the auction to fill in the pieces.