With his team set to play Bengaluru Bulls on the first day of its home leg here on Saturday, Tamil Thalaivas coach E. Bhaskaran said he’s confident of his team making it to the playoffs.
He added: “Bengaluru Bulls is a good team, a champion team. The team is largely unchanged from the last season. I think we’ll be able to control and counter the in-form Pawan Kumar Sehrawat.
“We shouldn’t repeat the mistakes we’ve committed in the matches we’ve played until now. Since we are playing the home leg, we wouldn’t feel as much pressure as we used to feel, playing away.”
Taking about players’ injuries hampering the team’s campaign last season, he said, “This season, there was no injury concern pre-season, and there has been no serious injury to any player during the season until now, going into the home leg.”
Identifying a pattern in the games, he said, “If you’ve been observing, it’s in the last few minutes or seconds that the result is decided. The end has been crucial.”
He added that 19-year-old Kenyan player Victor Onyango Obiero, who has been recovering from an ankle injury, “should be available some time during the Chennai leg”.
He further added: “Last season, he joined the team only three days ahead of the start of the league and thus couldn’t train or prepare well with the team.
“This season, he’s been retained, got injured and been recovering.”
Raider Rahul Chaudhari said video analysis and the defenders becoming more daring and adventurous has made it difficult for the raiders to score points. “Earlier, they (defenders) didn’t use to dive and all.
“They’ve become unpredictable and the raider doesn’t know what to expect; he doesn’t know who will attack from where.
“Also, it has become essential for players to have an all-round game.”
