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Telugu Titans have always had one of the most star-studded line-ups in the Pro Kabaddi League. The franchise has hosted big-match players like Rahul Chaudhari, Deepak Niwas Hooda, Meraj Sheykh, Sukesh Hegde and many more stars. However, the Titans have never been able to reach the final of a single season.
In the first season of PKL, the Telugu Titans missed out on a semifinal berth but came back strong in the second edition to finish in third place after a heartbreaking loss to Bengaluru Bulls in the semifinal.
They finished fifth in season three before finishing second in season four, but their campaign in the knockouts was halted by the Jaipur Pink Panthers.
Telugu Titans did not fare well in season five and season six. The major reason behind the team's repeated failures was their poor defense unit. While it is a fact that raiders bring about points, defenders do win teams matches and the lack of consistent shows in the defensive unit hurt the Titans.
As we look forward to yet another season of Pro Kabaddi, we have a look at three big names that you might not know were once a part of the Telugu Titans defense unit.
#3 Sandeep Dhull
Left corner defender Sandeep Dhull made his PKL debut in the third season. Dabang Delhi picked him in the auctions back in season three and the young lad impressed with 32 tackle points from 10 matches, including two High-5s.
Delhi released Dhull as the young defender was signed by the Telugu Titans for season 4. The diving thigh hold specialist represented the Titans in 12 matches and he finished the season with 35 tackle points. Though he had an average of 2.91 tackle points per match, Dhull once scored 8 tackle points in one match to stamp his authority.
Telugu Titans released him ahead of season 5. The Jaipur Pink Panthers bought him for a price of ₹66 lakh in the season 6 auction and the move worked wonders as Dhull picked up 67 points from 22 matches and finished as the league's fifth best defender.
For season seven, Sandeep Dhull will continue to represent the Pink Panthers.
#2 Dharmaraj Cheralathan
Though he is oldest players featuring in Pro Kabaddi, Dharmaraj Cheralathan is one of the most sought after defenders, courtesy of his experience and skill that he brings on to the mat. He kicked off his PKL career as a part of the Bengaluru Bulls before in season three, he joined forces with Rahul Chaudhari to play for the Telugu Titans.
The ankle hold specialist was a part of the Telugu Titans starting seven in all the 14 games the team played. With three super tackles and two High 5s to his name, Cheralathan finished the season with 31 tackle points.
Telugu Titans released him ahead of season four. The 2016 Kabaddi World Cup winner then was named the captain of Patna Pirates and led them to their first title.
Post the fourth season, the corner defender played for the two Maharashtrian franchises Puneri Paltan and U Mumba in season five and season six respectively. This year, he will represent the Haryana Steelers and will, in all probability, captain the squad as well.
#1 Sachin Shingade
Very few people may know that the left cover defender, Sachin Shingade was once a part of Telugu Titans. The dash specialist played for this franchise in the very first season of Pro Kabaddi League. He even played for the Titans in the second season.
Sachin played 10 matches for Telugu Titans in season one. He collected a total of 20 tackle points at an average of 2 tackle points per game. In the next season, Shingade's performance took a dip as he could score only two tackle points in the entire season.
The fact that those two points came in a single game only forced the Titans to release him before season three began. The left cover represented Dabang Delhi for the next two seasons. He then won the championship in season 5 with the Patna Pirates.
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