‘Confident of winning all home matches’

“We have a balanced squad for the forthcoming season. If we can get some wins under our belt early, it will help us inch closer to the Super Playoffs,” said Bhaskaran during the team and jersey launch at a hotel here on Thursday. 

“We are pretty optimistic of winning all the home games this season. Our target is to win the maximum number of games, which will put us in a good position in the zone table,” added the former U Mumba coach.  The city had hosted only the tenth (out of 12) leg in Season 5 of PKL.

Speaking about the difficulties a franchise faces when its home leg is scheduled in the final half of the tournament, he remarked, “By the time we had our home leg last year, teams had worked out our strategies. Few players succumbed to injuries as well. These factors could dent a team’s chances. It’s good that we have it early this time.” 

While the Thalaivas jersey was predominantly yellow in colour during its debut season, the franchise has undergone a makeover, having shifted its principal colour to dark blue. Commenting on the attire the team will be sporting for the sixth edition, he asserted, “We get a sense of pride when we wear this jersey. We all come from different states. But once we put it on, we represent Tamil Nadu’s PKL franchise. We are fully committed towards what we do.“

Tamil film star Vijay Sethupathi has been roped in as the face of PKL in TN. Talking about his association with the 12-team league, the actor said, “I have played the sport at a very young age. This is our game. I am thankful (to the organisers) for getting me on board. I hope kabaddi will receive a strong backing in the coming years from the fans.”