What Went Wrong for Telugu Titans? Rishank Devadiga Explains
With ‘Rivalry Week’ set to begin from September 15, the aggression and thrill on the mat is all ready to rise
Day 16 of Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 witnessed Puneri Paltan’s all-round brilliance overpowering Telugu Titans, while Jaipur Pink Panthers bounced back with a collective team performance. With ‘Rivalry Week’ set to begin from September 15, the aggression and thrill on the mat is all ready to rise.
Speaking on KBD Live, JioStar expert Rishank Devadiga praised Puneri Paltan’s win over Telugu Titans:
“Puneri Paltan is a true all-round team, strong in both, raiding and defense. The defense stepped up brilliantly. Both corners were outstanding, Gaurav Khatri earned 7 tackle points, and Vishal Bhardwaj, who seems to have revived his career, picked up 6. Their dominance was commendable. It was very difficult for any raider to break through Pune’s defensive wall. Captain Aslam Inamdar also led from the front, contributing 5 raid points and 2 tackle points. It was truly his moment to prove himself, and he did just that.”
On what went wrong for Telugu Titans:
“To tackle Pune’s raiders, you need proper planning and structured execution. If you approach them loosely, they will overpower you, and that’s exactly what happened. Right from the start, the Titans’ defense was hesitant, allowing Puneri Paltan’s raiders to take control. Once the raiders dominated, there was no coming back. Titans’ raiders, however, did their part, Bharat scored 12 raid points, and Vijay contributed 7. But the defense faltered, and that made the difference. It’s an area that Titans will need to improve if they want to turn matches in their favour.”
On Jaipur Pink Panthers’ performance:
“Jaipur Pink Panthers played as a complete unit. In the previous match, the team was heavily dependent on Nitin Dhankhar, and that put too much responsibility on his shoulders. But in this match, the coach made a smart move, changing the combination to 5 defenders and 2 raiders. That strategy worked perfectly, Jaipur led in both departments. Ali Samadi, who struggled in the last match, bounced back strongly, scoring consistently from the start and building confidence. By half-time, he had even outscored Nitin Dhankhar. Though he narrowly missed a Super 10, his performance was definitely outstanding. Later, Nitin also found his rhythm, finishing with 11 raid points. In the defense, Reza once again showed his value to the team, contributing 4 tackle points, while Aryan also played an important role.”
On the upcoming Rivalry Week starting September 15th:
“Rivalry Week is going to be crucial. It will give us a clear picture of where each team stands. Fans can expect high-intensity matches and a lot of excitement.”
