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Haryana Steelers, representing the hotspot of Kabaddi, made their PKL debut back in the fifth edition. Known for their stronger-than-steel performance, they made a place for themselves in the Playoffs in their debut season. But the Steelers lost to Patna Pirates in the eliminators, who went ahead and clinched the coveted trophy for the third consecutive time.
Rakesh Kumar, the former Indian team captain, retired from professional kabaddi not long ago, has dawned the role of coach.
The management of Haryana retained Vikash prior the auctions and also included top-notch players like Dharmaraj Cheralathan, Prashanth Kumar Rai and the youngster, Naveen to the squad.
The Steelers got off to a great start as they won their very first match of the seventh edition against Anup Kumar's Puneri Paltan.
However, the next two battles against Dabang Delhi and Jaipur Pink Panthers were quite discouraging, given that they faced embarrassing losses to both teams.
The first match in the Patna leg for the Steelers was damp as they suffered a fatal loss against the Thalaivas, despite having it under control in the first half.
Nonetheless, they went against the home team and after a scintillating performance, defeated the Pirates.
The experienced man Rakesh, having played the sport professionally for more than a decade, knew that his team's potential was more than their current performance.
"The boys did an excellent job of beating such a strong team. However, not to lie, we could have done much better. Doesn't matter how good the team is, there's always a room for improvement. We tumbled in the last ten minutes but still managed a victory. Nonetheless, total team effort overshadowed the glitches made by my boys. The squad played in unity tonight and hence ended up winning the encounter."
When asked about Haryana's next match against the defending champions, Bengaluru Bulls, the coach sounded confident.
"They have been in a wonderful form ever since the beginning of season 7. We'll have to prepare well to keep Pawan, their star player, at bay. That's the master-plan, or you can call it the key for our victory."
Kumar, who has played the role of a captain and also done some top-class commentary in the previous season, was quizzed about his experience as a coach, to which, he laughed before answering.
"It's quite different than being a player. However, it's too soon to comment something on my experience. My team has just played a few matches and we still have a long distance to cover."
Congratulating Pardeep on his 900-point milestone, Rakesh replied,
"Not only is he a brilliant player but an excellent human. What Pardeep has achieved at such a young age is a dream for many. However, his team needs to support him since a single player can break under immense pressure."
Haryana Steelers will take the mat against the defending champions Bengaluru Bulls in their next match at the Eka Arena by TranStadia in Ahmedabad.
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