It was tough not to be emotional: Krishan Kumar Hooda reflects on Telugu Titans ending playoff drought after nine years

New Delhi [India], October 29 (ANI): Telugu Titans booked their spot in the Qualifier 2 of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) 12 after completing a commanding 46-39 win to end Patna Pirate's eight-match winning streak at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium on Tuesday, as per a release from PKL.
The Titans will face season 10 champions Puneri Paltan on Wednesday, with the two teams battling it out for a place in the finals against Dabang Delhi KC on Friday.
Reflecting on the team's crucial win, head coach Krishan Kumar Hooda said, "It was a do-or-die game for us, and the message for the team always was to play in that manner. I had said at the start of the season that we won't disappoint our audience this year. Time will tell who wins, but we will give it our best shot," as quoted from a release by PKL.
Echoing the coaches' sentiments, Telugu Titans captain Vijay Malik added, "We wanted to play our game. We've performed well in the tournament since the start, so the aim was to keep building on that and keep winning."
Further sharing his thoughts on a successful season so far, an emotional Krishan Kumar Hooda mentioned, "Telugu Titans have qualified for the playoffs after nine years. Teams used to think they'd bag five points against us in the previous seasons. However, this season, the players have turned things around in such a manner that it was tough for me not to be emotional."
"As a team, we were determined to change our record. Last season, we missed out on the playoffs by a narrow margin. We've managed to turn that around this season and that's down to the hard work done by the players. It's brilliant to witness, and I want to thank every single one of them," he added.
The head coach also credited the senior players in the team for shouldering the responsibility alongside the younger players. He stated, "The team has performed well on both ends of the mat. We have four NYPs playing with three senior players - Vijay, Bharat and Shubham. This experienced trio has led us to the playoffs. Especially Vijay, as captain, he leads from the front."
Bharat Hooda, who carried on his sensational run in the tournament, scoring 23 points and also amassing 200 raid points for the season in the win against Pirates, also acknowledged the role of the senior players in the team.
"Our captain ensures that everyone is present and focused. We follow his lead. In the game, we had Patna's defense under pressure, so he gave me the freedom to make sure we remain relentless," he stated.
"We worked hard in the pre-season with our coach. The franchise has also supported us throughout. Our seniors - Vijay and Shubham - also ensured that the team is constantly engaging in discussions, even during the matches and in practice. The team has always motivated us, even after we've lost a game. The result of the work put in by everyone is reflected in our performance on the mat," Bharat added.
The duo of Vijay Malik and Bharat Hooda has been exceptional for the Telugu Titans this season.
Sharing an insight into their relationship off the mat, Krishan Hooda revealed, "Vijay has had a huge role to play in Bharat's excellent performances this season. Bharat is a hard-working player who plays on the edge, trying to get as many points as he can for our team. When a player like that has support from his captain, strong performances are bound to come. Their duo is inseparable, just like in the movie Sholay. They're performing brilliantly for us, and we're delighted with how the team is thriving under Vijay's captaincy and Bharat being the lead raider."
"Shubham Shinde is also leading the defence, always working hard even if there is a mistake. So, the three senior players have taken on the responsibility to lead the younger players, and that's worked out well for us," the head coach added.
Looking ahead to the challenge of playing table-toppers Puneri Paltan in Qualifier 2, Bharat concluded, "We're looking at it as another game we want to win. The opponent doesn't matter. We'd give it our all and play to the best of our abilities even if we were facing Dabang Delhi K.C. We'll do the same for Puneri Paltan. They're a strong team, but we'll give it our all to get over the line. Our aim is to win the title. We'll leave no stone unturned." (ANI)