Pro Kabaddi League: Tamil Thalaivas appoint chief coach and strategy coach for upcoming season

In a first in Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) history, Tamil Thalaivas have signed two coaches – a chief coach and a strategy coach – a deviation from the norm of having a head coach and an assistant coach for the upcoming season of the PKL.

Udaya Kumar will serve the franchise as the chief coach while veteran Dharmaraj Cheralathan will take the mantle of a strategy coach.

The dual-coaching system is expected to help the team on many counts, including improving productivity towards a result-oriented campaign.

Udaya Kumar, known for his meticulous strategies, was the coach of the Indian men’s kabaddi team. Under his tutelage the Indian team won gold medals at the Asian Games in 2002, 2006 and 2014.

He is also extremely talented in player development, having found talent from grassroot levels and moulding them into big names on the kabaddi mat.

Udaya Kumar is also responsible for year-round player development and enhancing the overall skill set of the team at Tamil Thalaivas.

On the other hand, Cheralathan, who has played in the PKL and has also served the league as an expert commentator, is well known for his strategic acumen and on-field prowess. He was an integral part of the Patna Pirates’ PKL win in season four of the league.

Cheralathan was also a part of the Indian team that won the Kabaddi World Cup in 2016 and also helped India win gold medals at the South Asian Games in 2017 and the Asian Beach Games the same year.

The Tamil Nadu-based player now serves as the head coach of the Indian Railways kabaddi team and guided his team to the runners-up position in the senior national kabaddi championship this year.

At Tamil Thalaivas, Cheralathan will focus on match strategies and in-game decision making, which are very crucial to the team’s success.