Tamil Thalaivas
League record: L W W L W
League position: Zone B, 6th Position
The Tamil Thalaivas debut season so far in the Pro Kabaddi League 2017 has been a series of unpredictable events. The Thalaivas are a bit of an anomaly in this league, with a strange mix of mostly youth, coupled with a few star players, all under the guidance of a World Cup winning coach in K. Baskaran. No fan of the league really knew what to expect, and so far the Thalaivas have managed to stay predictably unpredictable.
With their next opponents, the Jaipur Pink Panthers, The Thalaivas will aim to use their unpredictability to their advantage. Jaipur’s biggest threat will come from raider Pawan Kumar Kadian, a raider who is capable of high scoring games but suffers from a lack of consistency. A 17 point haul against the Telugu Titans in his last game will leave the Thalaivas hoping he experiences an off-day during their match. The Pink Panthers have been unable to display real defensive solidity till this point in the season, and The Tamil Thalaivas skipper Ajay Thakur will try to exploit any moment of weakness.
The Thalaivas best bet in this game will be to maintain a rigid defence while letting their talented raiders free against this Jaipur Pink Panthers Team. The Tamil Thalaivas may have faced defeat in their games against Pune, but coach Baskaran is not one to reflect on disappointment, so fans can expect a team with fresh ideas today.
Jaipur Pink Panthers
League record: L L W T L
League position: Zone A, 5th position
The Jaipur Pink Panthers have long been looked at as a team that have received undue attention due to a famous owner, however, the Pink Panthers have shook off any criticism owing to their success over 5 seasons in this competition. With the myriad changes made to the league in this season, the Jaipur Pink Panthers have been struggling with consistency and defensive issues in the team.
Their last match against the Telugu Titans displayed their attacking talent, but the defence’s night of struggle saw their chances slip away. The Pink Panthers will do their best to fix these and any other issues prior to the game against the Tamil Thalaivas. Opposing Captain Ajay Thakur is an attacking force and the Jaipur defence will have to bring their A-game. With the Thalaivas attacking new boys Dong Geon Lee, M. Thivakaran and K. Prapanjan beginning to gel and gain confidence, this promises to be no easy night for the Jaipur defence.
The Thalaivas defence faces issues with inconsistency also, but can be solid as a wall if Amit Hooda and C. Arun are in form. Jaipur’s best possible strategy would be to maintain defensive rigidity while trusting their attack to do a good job.