Following a fresh rebranding under new ownership, Kovai Kings captain Shahrukh Khan believes his young, rebuilt squad has what it takes to qualify for the TNPL Season 10 playoffs.
Shahrukh Khan, captain of two-time TNPL champion Kovai Kings, expressed confidence in his side's playoff chances for the upcoming 10th edition following the unveiling of the team's new jersey on Tuesday.
The franchise is looking to rebound after finishing sixth last year and failing to advance to the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Playing under new ownership, the team has been rebranded as Vida Kovai Kings. The franchise previously established a successful core that won the title in 2022 (shared with Chepauk Super Gillies) and 2023, before finishing as runners-up in 2024.
"I always try to pick a young team, and we’ve done that this year as well. There’s a new face to the franchise with new owners. We all feel that we have a team which can qualify. After that, it is just one game at a time," Shahrukh said at the jersey unveiling event.
Having lost several key members at last year's auction, the side is focused on rebuilding its nucleus. That core is set to include R.S. Ambrish, who was part of the India under-19 World Cup-winning squad earlier in the year.
Commenting on integrating young talent into the side, Shahrukh added: "Yeah, it’s good to have people from u-19s come and play. They’ve seen the pressure. They’ve played finals in u-19s. Obviously, this pressure is a bit more than what it is there. But still, these guys respond well to any situation that’s given to them."
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Sport. Photo courtesy The Hindu Sport.