From Auction Blueprint to Trophy: How Surender Nada Led Rohtak Royals to Glory

From Auction Blueprint to Trophy: How Surender Nada Led Rohtak Royals to Glory

Rohtak Royals head coach Surender Nada built his Kabaddi Champions League campaign around one guiding principle, that a genuinely balanced team, rather than a squad chasing marquee names alone, would be best placed to handle the pressure of a knockout stage. That philosophy was tested through a rocky middle stretch of the league phase, but it delivered exactly the result Surender Nada had promised when it mattered most, guiding Rohtak Royals to the first-ever Kabaddi Champions League title.

A Coach's Clear Blueprint from Day One

Speaking after Rohtak Royals completed their auction-day squad building, Surender Nada was explicit about his approach, describing a focus on assembling strong raiders, a solid defensive unit, and players capable of handling pressure situations, with every purchase made according to a clear strategy rather than reacting to the room. Franchise owner Gajendra Sharma echoed that long-term thinking, pointing to the deliberate inclusion of young Haryanvi players alongside experienced campaigners as a considered decision meant to give the squad genuine balance across every department, backed by real confidence in Surender Nada's leadership heading into the Kabaddi Champions League's debut season.

The Auction Investment

Rohtak Royals built their 16-member squad across three player categories, headlined by Vijay Malik as the franchise's costliest signing at Rs 9.4 lakhs. Around him, Surender Nada added genuine experience in Sandeep Narwal, a multiple-time Pro Kabaddi League champion with Patna Pirates and a former India international, secured for Rs 3.4 lakhs to bring leadership across both raiding and defensive units. The coach further strengthened the core with Rakesh Singroha for Rs 7.2 lakhs, Ankit Rana for Rs 6.4 lakhs, Sandeep Deswal for Rs 6 lakhs, and Aaryan for Rs 5 lakhs, giving Rohtak Royals exactly the blend of proven Pro Kabaddi League pedigree and hungry young Haryanvi talent that Surender Nada had promised from the very start.

A League Stage of Ebbs and Flows

Rohtak Royals' Kabaddi Champions League campaign opened with a narrow 41-43 defeat to Karnal Kings, but the response was swift, with wins over Faridabad Fighters 38-24, Hisar Heroes 40-28, and Gurugram Gurus 44-32 putting the Royals firmly in playoff contention. A statement 43-35 win over Bhiwani Bulls in early February looked like the platform for a strong finish, but the league stage ended on a rocky note, with Rohtak Royals losing back-to-back matches to Panipat Panthers 35-53 and Sonipat Stars 43-47. That closing stretch left Rohtak Royals with four wins from seven matches and eight points, finishing fourth on the table, level on points with eventual runners-up Bhiwani Bulls but behind them on points difference heading into the knockouts.

Peaking at Exactly the Right Time

Whatever concerns that late-season wobble raised, Surender Nada's Rohtak Royals answered them in the semi-final, defeating table-topping Panipat Panthers 43-36 in a performance built on composure rather than chaos. Vijay Malik's game management controlled the tempo throughout, while Sandeep Narwal's defensive leadership, capped by a High-5 performance, gave the Royals the defensive platform to see out a knockout contest against the league's best regular-season side. It was the clearest possible statement that Surender Nada's balanced, pressure-tested squad had been built with exactly this kind of match in mind.

A Champion's Composure in the Final

The final against Bhiwani Bulls on February 7 turned into one of the most competitive matches of the entire Kabaddi Champions League season, with the lead changing hands repeatedly across both halves. Rohtak Royals held their nerve when it mattered most, closing out a narrow 32-30 win to become the league's first-ever champions, a result that validated everything Surender Nada had said about building a team capable of handling pressure situations back at the auction table. For a squad that had stumbled into the knockouts on the back of two straight league defeats, the composure shown across both the semi-final and final stands as the defining feature of Surender Nada's coaching in Season 1.

What Surender Nada's Title Win Means for Season 2

Surender Nada's balanced approach, blending Pro Kabaddi League experience in Sandeep Narwal with the calculated raiding of Vijay Malik and a core of young Haryanvi talent, was ultimately vindicated where it mattered most, in the knockouts of the Kabaddi Champions League's debut season. Having already proven his squad can win under the most pressure, Surender Nada and Rohtak Royals head into Season 2 as defending champions, and as the clearest example yet of why a balanced squad built for pressure situations can outlast one built around individual stars alone.

Follow the Kabaddi Champions League website for full team stats, coach interviews, and the latest updates as we build toward Season 2.