Telugu Titans head coach Krishan Kumar Hooda was pleased with his all-rounder’s performance. The veteran player credited his entire team management and staff for their consistent performances. The Telugu Titans maintained their undefeated streak in the Chennai leg of PKL 12 with a convincing 46-29 victory over the Haryana Steelers at the SDAT Multi-Purpose Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.
Bharat Hooda had a standout performance with 20 points, comprising 16 raid points and 4 tackle points, helping extend his team’s winning streak to five matches. “Bharat has been excellent for us this season”, he said.
“The credit for that goes to the entire support staff, coaches and the CEO. We had a long pre-season camp where we worked with different training methods. The physios also deserve credit because they’ve always kept our players fit.
Even if there is an injury, they are working hard to ensure the player returns within one or two days. So, all of us together are always thinking about how we can get better as a team”, he added. Meanwhile, Titans captain Vijay Malik expressed his leadership philosophy for the team.
He stated, “The unity in the team is good but we never restrict the players or give them too many instructions during the game. There are a few moments when we step in to give advice but generally, we believe in giving the players freedom to express themselves.”
Hooda credited his captain for uniting the team and highlighting the best in his players. He mentioned, “When we got Vijay in the auction, we were sure he was going to be our captain. More than a coach, a captain can bring out the best in a team, and he’s getting the best out of the team.
All the players listen to him and that’s one of the reasons why the unity in the team has been so good.” Although the Titans were in control against the Haryana Steelers, the two coaches exchanged respect and admiration at the game's conclusion.
Hooda shared an insight about his relationship with Steelers head coach Manpreet Singh. “Manpreet was with me in the India camp for three years. Sometimes, he gets a little emotional. There is aggression in every game, and that’s okay,” he said.
“He (Manpreet) has been coaching since the last six-seven years and he’s done really well as a head coach. He won the title last season, and I believe he’ll make sure that his team makes a comeback this season as well”, Hooda concluded.