"I would like to give full credit to Vijay" - Telugu Titans' coach heaps massive praise on captain after close win over Gujarat Giants

Telugu Titans' head coach Krishan Kumar Hooda praised captain Vijay Malik after their stunning one-point win over Gujarat Giants in Pro Kabaddi 2025 on Tuesday, September 23. The Titans beat Gujarat 30-29 in a close encounter.

Krishan Kumar Hooda reckoned that a captain's role is bigger than that of the coach in tight games like these. Therefore, he credited Vijay for handling the troops well under pressure.

Not only did Vijay do well as captain, but he also truly led from the front. He scored seven raid points, including three touch and four bonus points.

In the post-match press conference, the Telugu Titans' head coach said,

"We have to think and inform the captain about whatever the situation is. If they follow it properly, welcome to them. If it goes slightly wrong, you lose the game. In such games, the captain's role is the most important than the coach. The game was up and down for every single point. We can tell what we have to and be out, but the captain has to see things inside, so I would like to give full credit to Vijay for this win."

Vijay has been in decent form so far this season. He has scored 80 raid points from 10 matches, including three Super 10s. This was the second consecutive win for the Telugu Titans. They also moved to the fourth spot on the table and now have 10 points.

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Telugu Titans' head coach highlights the turning point against Gujarat Giants

As it was an intense clash between the two teams, there were several ups and downs throughout the contest. The Telugu Titans' head coach highlighted some key moments that proved to be turning points for them in the game.

"There were many close moments. Vijay got bonus points, Shubam Shinde also executed brilliant tackles at the right time. But even before that, a turning point was when Bharat Hooda executed the ankle hold to get Shaloui out, that was fantastic and very useful for the team," he said.

Shubham Shinde put on a solid effort as he scored four tackle points. While Bharat Hooda scored a crucial tackle point, as the coach mentioned, he played a huge role in the raiding department. Bharat scored eight raid points.

The Telugu Titans will face three-time champions Patna Pirates in their next fixture on Tuesday, September 30, in Chennai.

Edited by Rishab Vm