Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India]: Patna Pirates head coach Narender Kumar Redhu feels that raiders and defenders working in tandem led to their memorable outing against Bengaluru Bulls in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 11.
Patna Pirates decimated the Bengaluru Bulls with a scoreline of 54-31 at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Tuesday, in Match 64 of the PKL.
The raiding duo of Ayan and Devank ran riot, scoring 12 and 16 points respectively to assert their dominance in a convincing win that helped the three-time champions jump to third place on the points table.
In the post-match press conference, Patna Pirates head coach Narender Kumar Redhu spoke about his team’s comprehensive performance, praising his defenders and raiders after they delivered a clinical performance.
“It was a good match for us, in terms of defending and raiding. Both departments did their job today. In the start of the game, the defenders kept the Bengaluru Bulls quiet and then it was our raiders who capitalized on that. So, both of them did their bit to help us win the game. We had 8 or 9 Super Tackles today, so they deserve full credit for their effort,” he said.
Narender Redhu was also quick to acknowledge the Bengaluru Bulls and their performance this season and added, “Bengaluru Bulls have played well this season and have lost games by close margins. They’re a good team with big names. Pardeep is a big star, if he fires then the situation of the game can change. They have Ajinkya and Akshit too, who are good raiders. So, we had to ensure that we play with some control against these players.”
The head coach also spoke about former Patna Pirates player, record breaker Pardeep Narwal. He mentioned that the raider is and always will be a star.
“Pardeep has given three trophies to the Patna Pirates and he is one of the best raiders in the league. There are some moments in a player’s career where he can’t continuously deliver for the team. Pardeep is a star and will always be a star. However, if our defence can stay in control and get us the line, they deserve full credit for it,” he stated.
The Patna Pirates head coach played down the questions about his team’s title ambitions this season, stating that his team will go step by step as they try to make progress. His team will have a short break before they face the UP Yoddhas on November 24.
When asked about how the team will approach that game, Patna Pirates’ head coach mentioned, “I believe that no team in the league is easy to face. Everyone comes with a set plan, and we have to react to how they play and plan accordingly.”