Pro Kabaddi League Review: U Mumba Unstoppable so far

A good team is able to win from a position where the thought of winning isn't even possible. They create the atmosphere of being unable to cross the finish line as winners and surprise everyone when they pull a rabbit out of the hat in doing so.

To do it once might count as luck, to do it four times -- there must be some science behind it. For the first half of Season 2 Pro Kabaddi League, U Mumba have won seven games in-a-row in every imaginable way possible.

Staying unbeatable in the league and sitting pretty at the top of the table with 35 points brings a smile to captain Anup Kumar's face. A record like this after they fell short at the last hurdle in Season 1, is something to be cherished. But they are not sitting on their laurels.

U Mumba continue to train harder and prepare better for the second half of the season. They realise that as quickly as they have risen, they can fall down even quicker in the pro kabaddi league. The task at hand involves qualifying for the play-offs with a comfortable margin.

There is no overconfidence in their playing style because they realise that they need to be grounded at this level. How do they achieve that? "Because we have had to fight to the very last second for every victory, excluding a couple of matches," says Anup Kumar.

U Mumba's Maharashtra rivals, who haven't had the good fortune of experiencing a similar run of results in Season 2 so far, Puneri Paltan stretched them close till about the 25th minute in their match on the July 21 at the end of the Mumbai leg.

"This is good for us," admits the policeman hailing from Haryana. "It prevents us from being complacent. Being in such a good position after seven games could make us content at how the tournament is progressing for us.

 

"Given a choice, I would take a close match where we win by two points because they allow us to be pushed to our limits during a match situation. I would take a win either way but these close wins demonstrate that we can emerge victorious while being kept on our toes. A good team thrives in adverse conditions, with their backs against the wall and U Mumba have proved that."

In an exciting match versus Telugu Titans on July 26 in Jaipur or their Maharashtra Derby against Puneri Paltan, U Mumba have scripted a few heart-stopping comeback wins. Regarding this style of play displayed in the pro kabaddi league by U Mumba, Anup recounts, "This type of do-or-die situation we found ourselves in has helped us to unite as a team of fighters. If one of us fails individually, there is always the team to step up and help him on any given day."

One example of how these seven wins in Season 2 have tapped the depth of the U Mumba squad was noticed in their match vs Dabang Delhi on August 1 in Patna. Coach E. Bhaskaran has proved his mettle with an out-of-the-box approach this season.

 

Bhaskaran came up with a masterstroke versus Delhi by bringing on youngster Bhupender Singh, who ultimately proved to be the man of the match with the Delhi defenders unaware of how to deal with the fast moving Punjab lad. Bhupender's show has given Bhaskaran plenty of options. He has been giving a look in to Pawan Kumar too. He is a tall boy who can use his height and reach for the bonus and hand touches on opponents.

Considering the inclusion of the Iranian captain in Fazel Atracheli, Bhaskaran has kept his plans for him close to his chest. While the Iranian joined the league late, Atracheli was instrumental in giving India a scare in the 2014 Asian Games gold medal match. The Indians ultimately won 27-25. The potential of this man to be a match winner is immense and when the time does come, U Mumba might just become the complete package.

On the second half of the Pro Kabaddi League, Anup Kumar was optimistic about his team's success. "We love to be in a corner which is the hallmark of great champions."

 

The second half of tournament starts in Hyderabad on Tuesday. This gives teams the time to regroup and recalibrate. And in the case of U Mumba, to continue maintaining their momentum and pushing higher.