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"It is one of the most important positions in my mind. They don't get enough credit because they aren't attacking or blocking or serving."
These are the words of Bengaluru Torpedoes head coach David Lee while emphasizing the importance of a libero in a six-member volleyball team.
Although the American player-turned-coach was effusive in his praise for Torpedoes libero B Midhun Kumar, Ahmedabad Defenders' Tamilvanan Srikanth is in the line to emerge among top liberos in the country.
Just playing in his second season in the Prime Volleyball League 2024, the player from Tamil Nadu's Edamelaiyur village has shown the ardour to receive the ball from the jaws of defeat (when the ball almost seems to touch the surface).
A libero is often swapped with the middle blocker depending on whether the team is serving or receiving the ball. In a nutshell, digging and reception are the two main skills focused on the particular role.
Srikanth attempted 53 digs with a successful rate of 66.25, making him the fourth-highest in the category in the third edition of PVL, and second in Ahmedabad Defenders after Australia's outside-hitter Max Senica (59 digs with a success rate of 76.62%).
Although the 23-year-old Ahmedabad libero went strength to strength with his digs, the reception was a matter of concern. S Dakshinamoorthy, who found Srinkanth's talent at SRM University in Chennai, believes the uncapped Indian youngster needs to put the hard yards in his receiving game.
"He has to concentrate on reception with perfection, he is doing it, but still, he has to improve against floating and jump service reception. Now he is 60-70% and will only be the No.1 libero (in India) when he makes it to 90% (of his game style)," Dakshinamoorthy told Sportskeeda in an exclusive interview.
It was Dakshinamoorthy only who gave Srikanth his PVL breakthrough when he was the coach of the title-winning Ahmedabad Defenders. Even though the Chennai-based coach moved to Chennai Blitz this year, the protege continued as a key member in Ahmedabad Defenders' set-up under new coach Dragan Mihailovic.
“We have a foreign coach now, so the system is very new. It’s easy but, at the same time, there are some struggles," Srikanth mentioned on the change of coaching styles at the Ahmedabad outfit.
Ahmedabad Defenders finished third this season after going down to new entrants Delhi Toofans in a thrilling five-setter eliminator clash (15-9, 10-15, 10-15, 15-12, 17-15).
Tamilvanan Srikanth's journey in brief
Tamilvanan Srikanth started playing volleyball at his sports hostel in Trichy when he studied in the 7th grade. He was picked in the SRM University's team for major competitions and won back-to-back titles at the Khelo India University Games.
After showing promise in the junior teams such as the U-21 volleyball team, Dakshinamoorthy was convinced to give the libero a big stage to hone his skills. The Tamil Nadu youngster admitted that his father would get upset whenever he displayed an underwhelming show, according to the standards set between the two.
“There were not too many struggles. My day used to be good whenever I performed well. But he used to get upset whenever my performance was poor," he said.
Srikanth also got an opportunity to represent the Ahmedabad Defenders at the Men's Volleyball Club World Championship held in Bengaluru last year in December. He and R Ramanathan shared the responsibility of a libero during the two league matches against Itambe Minas and eventual champions Sir Sicoma Perugia.
"He will get the opportunity (to play for India). Last time he was there in the Asian Games as a standby player. He was there in the 24. They went with the experience of (BS) Hari Prasad. If they had opted for two Liberos then he would have got a chance," said Dakshinamoorthy.
Whether Srikanth improves to take his volleyball career to next level or not, time will be the best judge for it, but he will need to work closely with his coaches for a better show next year.
