The Mumbai City franchise of Pro Kabaddi League, U Mumba is one of the strongest teams of Pro Kabaddi League. They lifted the trophy in the year 2015 and were the runners up to Jaipur Pink Panthers in the first season. Backed by Ronnie Screwvala, U Mumba has some new players this year and they’re going through aggressive training to make a mark this year.
Here are some interesting things you need to know about U Mumba:
1. U Mumba has always shown some power-packed performances
In the first season, the team finished as Runners-Up and in Season 2, U Mumba topped the charts and were crowned the champions.
2. U Mumba has a stellar line-up of players
While every team tries to get the best players, it’s extremely hard to have players who compliment each other’s playing style. Some of the U Mumba players to look forward to this year are:
Anup Kumar – Captain of U Mumba, Captain of the Indian team, Arjuna Awardee and one of the biggest stars of the Pro Kabaddi League, Anup Kumar is always in control of the game and was awarded the title of Most Valuable Player in 2014.
Kashiling Adake – After being Dabang Delhi’s star raider for 4 seasons, Kashiling is all set to play for his home state. He was an integral part of the National team which won at the 2014 Beach Asian Games and 2015 South Asian Games.
Nitin Madane – With 121 successful raids and 36 successful tackles in total 25 matches, Nitin has played for Mahindra, was a part of the Senior Nationals 5 times and was also a part of the National team for 2014 Asian Games.
3. U Mumba has very eminent and experienced coaches- Ravi Shetty and Bhaskaran Edachery
Hailing from Karnataka, Ravi Shetty has 18 years of experience with State teams at National levels. He has also coached the national team of Malaysia. Bhaskaran Edachery is the coach of Team India and considers U Mumba as his extended family. His biggest achievement as a coach was the 2010 Asian Games Gold and the Gold for the 2014 Men and Women’s Teams in 2014.
4. The Captain Cool: Anup Kumar
Anup Kumar is one of the best Kabaddi players in India and has been with U Mumba since its inception. He has played 57 matches in the PKL with 377 raid points from 938 raids. The captain was also a member of the Indian Kabaddi team which won Asian Games Gold medals in the year 2010 and 2014. He has been conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award and led the National Team to victory in Kabaddi World Cup 2016.
5. It’s not just all play for them
The team is not just focussed on the game but they’re also passionate towards the surroundings. In 2016, the team even did a print campaign to encourage adoption of homeless dogs.
Image Source: Peta
