One of the most decorated players in Pro Kabaddi League, Pradeep Narwal is not with the Patna Pirates now, but the team’s coach Ram Mehar Singh is confident to win the trophy in the absence of him. Ram Mehar Singh says that the team wanted to retain Narwal, but eventually splashed out on raider Prashant Kumar Rai, Sachin Tanwar and Iran’s Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh. He hoped with this kind of signing, the team can win the PKL title in this edition.

Patna Pirates have won the trophy in 2017 edition and the coach is a little overwhelmed to see the team’s combination.  It will be fascinating to see how the team develops as the season progresses in the absence of Narwal.

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The absence of some elite players did not deter the Patna Pirates coach. He, however, said that the team is very much balanced with the inclusion of  Neeraj, Prashant Kumar Rai, Monu Goyat and Sachin.

“See we have let go of Pardeep but Neeraj, and Monu are back. We have also bought accomplished and experienced players like Prashant Kumar Rai, Monu Goyat and even Sachin is experienced now. We have a perfect team balance of experience and exuberance of youth like  young Shadloo, Sajin, Guman Singh, Sourav Gulia and Siddharth Shinde.

“See, no one can be 100 per cent confident, and you never know how the season progresses but we are very happy and confident about our acquisitions and we think this is a team that can take us to the very top,” said Ram Mehar Singh.

“Our plan was to have a good balance. Of course we wanted to buy Pardeep but we had numerous plans in case that did not happen and we have successfully achieved those in the auction of having a right balance of youth and experience as well as numerous options in each position,” said the coach.

When asked about the role of coach in the new normal considering the way COVID has changed a lot of things, he said, “It has definitely changed a lot for us but, I feel in coaching and in Kabaddi more or less things are going to be the same.

Of course everything else apart from the action that happens on the mat, rest everything has changed and we have to adapt. We won’t be traveling much and even if we do it will have to be with immense precautions.”

“The league has planned certain guidelines and bubbles so as to avoid any increase in numbers of COVID. All players and staff will be in the bubble as well as tested and vaccinated. Of course, like I said you can’t guarantee anything in life. Football, cricket and all sports are happening across the world and I think kabaddi also needs to start now,” he said.

“I think everyone has got a good balanced team and all teams have bought smartly. It will be a closely contested league and a lot will depend on fitness of players post the 2 year break,” he signed off.