Tamil Thalaivas qualify for Pro Kabaddi playoffs for the 1st time in the tournament's history
Tamil Thalaivas sealed their place in the Top 6 of the Pro Kabaddi 2022 points table with an emphatic win against the UP Yoddhas on Wednesday (December 7).
The Thalaivas only had to avoid a defeat by more than eight points to earn an entry into the playoffs. They not just avoided a loss but ended up registering a massive 15-point win over the Yoddhas.
Courtesy of this victory, the Tamil Thalaivas now have 66 points to their name after 21 matches. They have recorded 10 wins, seven losses and four draws in the Pro Kabaddi League 2022.
Fans should note that this is the first time the Thalaivas have qualified for the playoffs. The Chennai-based franchise joined the league as one of the four new entrants in 2017. They finished last in the points table in their first three seasons, while in their fourth season, they finished 11th.
The Thalaivas decided to revamp their squad ahead of season nine of the Pro Kabaddi League. They released their star players K Prapanjan, Surjeet Singh and Manjeet Dahiya and went all out to sign Pawan Sehrawat at the auction. The Chennai-based franchise spent โน2.26 crore to sign Sehrawat.
Unfortunately, the Hi-Flier could play only 10 minutes for the Thalaivas as he suffered an injury and was ruled out of the competition in the first match.
New coach Ashan Kumar played a huge role in Tamil Thalaivas' rise in Pro Kabaddi 2022
It looked like it would be the same old story for the Thalaivas as they struggled to win their first few matches. They managed only one victory in their first six games and were in the lower half of the points table.
Coach J Udaya Kumar then took a break due to personal reasons, and the franchise appointed Ashan Kumar as their new coach. He brought about a massive change in the Thalaivas' fortunes as they now gear up to take on UP Yoddhas in Eliminator 2 of Pro Kabaddi 2022.