Mumba eye U-turn in PKL fortunes!

Surinder Singh

Amidst a glittering ceremony and jersey launch in the city on Wednesday, U Mumba handed the captain's armband to Surinder Singh for the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10. Alongside him, Rinku and Mahender Singh were announced as vice-captains. Surinder is crystal clear about his immediate job at hand. The Season 2 champions have not fared well in the recent past and Singh believes they will bounce back strongly this time, beginning with their opening match on December 2.

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Better combo this year

"This year, we've formed a good combination in both defence and offense. This was something we were lacking last year. So, I believe, this good combination will help us be a serious title contender," Singh told mid-day. "In the previous seasons, some of the players we picked at the auction lacked in fitness or strength and could not perform well. Our sport has a lot of body contact, so an injury can happen anytime. Many of our players picked up injuries and the team suffered as a result," added Singh. The U Mumbai boys have undergone a tough pre-season training camp at the Inspire Institute of Sports in Bellary, Karnataka.

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Great coach in Gholam sir

"This year's training camp was a great place. We have quite a few international players and the environment within the team is great. The team's practice schedule, sleep timings, food breaks and leisure are all very well structured. We have been training hard under Gholam sir [Head Coach Gholamreza Mazandarani] and he has prepared our team splendidly," added Singh.

As skipper, Singh is also hoping his vast experience will benefit the team. "I've played with Anup bhai [former U Mumba player and India kabaddi star Anup Kumar] in the first season and also alongside Fazel bhai [former U Mumba player and Iran star Fazel Atrachali] for two years. During those times, I've learnt a lot. I've learnt how crucial decisions need to be made at certain times to benefit the team. I'm hoping to share my experiences with the team," said Singh.