Heres What’s Really Happening Between Patna Pirates and Anup Kumar

Amid PKL 12, speculation is rife that Patna Pirates and head coach Anup Kumar may have parted ways mid-season. While neither the team nor Anup has confirmed this, he was absent from the dugout recently. New defence coach Randeep Dalal and assistant Prashant Rai have been seen leading the team, fueling questions about the current coaching setup.

Patna Pirates have struggled in the 12th season of the Pro Kabaddi League, currently sitting at the bottom of the points table with just four points from nine matches. The franchise has managed only two wins so far, against Puneri Paltan (48 37) in Vizag and Dabang Delhi (33 30) in Jaipur, while suffering seven defeats, leaving them with a negative score difference of 27. Amid this poor run, questions have emerged regarding the status of head coach Anup Kumar.

Rumors suggest that he may have parted ways with the team midway through the season, but no official confirmation has come from the franchise or Anup himself. Adding to the uncertainty, Anup was seen traveling with the team to Chennai, yet he was absent from the dugout during the match against Telugu Titans on September 30. Further fueling speculation, the Pirates recently appointed Randeep Dalal as their new defence coach.

Randeep, along with assistant coach Prashant Rai, was seen actively managing the team in recent games, leading fans to wonder if there has been a shift in the coaching responsibilities. These developments have left supporters questioning whether Patna Pirates have indeed made a mid-season change in one of Kabaddi’s most iconic coaching roles.