Bengaluru Torpedoes coach K. R. Lakshminarayana has intensified preparations ahead of the season opener in the inaugural Prime Volleyball League (Hyderabad).
The Torpedoes have a mix of Indian and foreign veterans as well as young talent from across India. They are focused on team bonding sessions, before finalising their strategies and combinations.
“We have had training sessions for at least 4-5 hours each day since our camp in Mysore, January. The camp in Hyderabad welcomed two foreign players, Noah Taitano (Kyle Friend) and I have been impressed by their ability to mix with the group. They have picked up all the inputs quickly, and we are now focusing on getting our combinations right before our first game,” stated Lakshminarayana.
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Former Karnataka coach believes there are no favorites in the league. He also said that the Torpedoes had assembled a solid team from the auction. “We have acquired a balanced team through the auction, with a few former Indian players in the side. Ranjit (Singh), our leader, is there. Young players from Karnataka Vinayak Rokhade, Ganesha and Srajan Shetty are also part of the side.
Ankit Nagori, Bengaluru’s owner, stressed that while title aspirations will be on the Torpedoes’ list, the Torpedoes will focus on building and maintaining an infrastructure around which its plans for the future will revolve.
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It’s a long journey. Our initial goal is to get a group together, stick with them for many decades, and nurture talent through the grass roots program. Ankit said that this will be an important input to how we see our team growing over the years.
Ankit is optimistic that the league will progress despite the fact that it was restricted to Hyderabad for 22 days because of COVID-19 issues. “The Bangaloreans love their game. We have seen how they have supported their cricket and football teams in the past. Ankit stated that he is confident that the COVID situation will improve and the home and away format concept will evolve. This will allow us to create a strong community in Bangalore.
The Torpedoes will launch their campaign against Kochi Blue Spikers in February 8, before meeting other teams in round-robin.
