Baskaran to coach Team Chennai in kabaddi league

Soon after signing as the coach of the yet-to-be-named Chennai team, Baskaran said a team for the state in the glitzy league was long overdue. “Kabaddi, in fact, is the state game of Tamil Nadu. The opportunity should have come earlier, but it is better late than never,” Baskaran said. 

The coach said the move would popularise the game in the state. “That’s what we need now. A lot of talents can be unearthed through this opportunity and that’s why I had no hesitation to grab this offer,” Baskaran noted. 

With grassroots development, as one of his prime objectives, the Indian coach said he has his plans well in place. “When I spoke to the team’s CEO, I was impressed with their long-term plan for the sport. We are aiming to start a talent hunt zone-wise and shortlist the best players. We are forming a team for the same and I am sure these steps would take the sport to greater heights,” he explained. 

Baskaran isn’t new to accolades. When quizzed, if he can replicate the first season’s success he had with Jaipur Pink Panthers, the coach was confident of repeating that. “Getting to the top is no rocket science. I know what it takes to win. We need to have the right ingredients in the right mixture to achieve success. We have the player auction in the last week of May and I have my plans in place to pick the right players. The team management is supportive of my plans,” added Baskaran on the sidelines of the New Young Players kabaddi camp in Mumbai. The players from the camp will go under the hammer in the upcoming PKL fifth season.

The Chennai franchisee in the Pro-Kabaddi league is coowned by India’s biggest sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar and entrepreneur N Prasad. More than 350 players have been listed for the auction to be held on May 22 and 23. The fifth season of the Pro-Kabaddi League will start in July.