"There was some pressure on me as Pawan had got out" - Sanjeevi S after disappointing loss to Haryana Steelers | PKL 2023-24
The Telugu Titans, despite not having the best run in the Pro Kabbadi League this season, have found themselves some fine players. Sanjeevi S is one of these players who has stepped up for the Titans in times of need.
In a rather close and disappointing defeat against the Haryana Steelers on Monday, Sanjeevi stood up and played a major role in stirring his team to come back strongly against their opponents.
Speaking to Sportskeeda after the game, Sanjeevi explained how it felt to take the lead for his team and guide them.
"There was some pressure on me as Pawan (Sehrawat) had got out. All that pressure came onto me. If he had still been there, it would have taken some of that pressure off me," Sanjeevi said.
"I think momentum works differently for different teams. We have to make sure that we use the momentum well. Yesterday, we were able to do so and gain some points. Yes, it was a defeat but we did get some momentum," he added.
When asked if the team still had any confidence in themselves despite being ranked at the bottom of the table, Sanjeevi replied in the affirmative.
"Oh, yes, there is a lot of confidence. We have lost five-six games by coming extremely close. We are confident that things may turn around for us," he elaborated.
"Since I am an all-rounder, I plan for both the raiders and defenders of our opponents" - Sanjeevi S
Sanjeevi was also questioned closely about the preparation and training routines that he follows. The ever-smiling all-rounder took his time to answer in detail what the team does to prepare for their opponents ahead of a game.
Quite naturally, watching videos of their opponents takes up a major chunk of their preparation as does basking in the encouraging words of coach Srinivas Reddy.
"We plan about our opponents before the game. Since I am an all-rounder, I plan for both the raiders and defenders of our opponents. Our coach (Srinivas Reddy) then shows us a lot of videos to help us gain an idea of the weaknesses of our opponents. We get an idea of our opponents' positives and negatives when we see these videos. At the same time, we see our own videos as well. Our coach motivates each of us personally and then as a team," said Sanjeevi.
Sanjeevi did not shy away from admitting that their next opponent, the Tamil Thalaivas, will pose a big challenge. But in the same breath, he mentioned that the Titans will be ready for them.
"We have played against them already this season (in Bengaluru). It was a very close game. We will take a look at the mistakes we did back then and try not to repeat it tomorrow," said Sanjeevi.
Sanjeevi also mentioned the immense support the Titans enjoy in Hyderabad and how much their encouragement means to the players.
"I think playing at home is always special. The support here in Hyderabad is fantastic. The fans play a very big role in taking all our stress away. We gain a lot of confidence when our supporters cheer for us. They push us to go for the extra mile," he concluded.