‘This is just the start’: UP Yoddhas assistant coach ready for PKL 11 challenge

Hyderabad, October 22, 2024: In a display of tactical brilliance at Hyderabad's GMCB Indoor Stadium, UP Yoddhas secured a commanding 28-23 victory over Dabang Delhi K.C., with Bhavani Rajput (7 points) leading the charge, supported by strong performances from skipper Surender Gill and Sahul Kumar who delivered a crucial ALL OUT in the final minutes. Post the match, the captain credited the win to their well-executed defensive strategy.

"Our initial strategy was focused on our defenders. We knew that the longer both corner defenders stayed on the court, the more it would benefit our raiders. Then when Bhavani bhai started performing well, we decided to stick with that approach. We were selective about sending our raiders while they were waiting for super tackle opportunities. The plan was that we would secure two points, support each other, and our raiders would bring in the remaining points. That worked in our favour,” shared Surender.

Assistant Coach Upendra Kumar was particularly impressed with how the revamped squad performed in their season opener against Dabang Delhi K.C. “Our first game of the season was against Dabang Delhi K.C. and it was imperative that we establish ourselves. I'm pleased to say that they exceeded our expectations, working seamlessly with even the substitutes making significant contributions," he said about their performance.

Looking ahead to their clash with Bengaluru Bulls on Tuesday, Captain Gill maintained a confident yet cautious stance. "Bengaluru Bulls is a very good side and it will surely be a tough match. This is not our concern because we haven't revealed our complete lineup yet. We can field a very strong team. We'll make our final decision at the last moment," he stated, suggesting that UP Yoddhas might have some surprises in store for their opponents.

About GMR Sports

GMR Sports, the sports division for GMR Group was incorporated in 2008 coinciding with the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League.

GMR Sports was created with the vision to utilize sports as a platform to help form a connect with the community at large, and cricket as a sport was the best platform to kick start this connection, thereby leading to the group's first-ever sports initiative.

Delhi Capitals – Delhi's first ever cricket franchise and the only one that represented the national capital of India, marked the beginning of this venture.

 Soon GMR Sports led the way in furthering their goals with the addition of another sport that in the truest sense connected the Indian community in a strong way. UP Yoddhas – The Pro Kabaddi League's Franchise representing India's largest state Uttar Pradesh was just that step towards providing the community with another reason to celebrate. In 2022, the Ultimate Kho Kho, a franchise representing the Telugu Speaking Region of India – Telugu Yoddhas were formed, making GMR Sports take another giant step of not only supporting indigenous sports but also giving another reason for the communities of the region to bond together in unison celebrating sports. 

In 2022, GMR Sports expanded its footprints into the International Sports Leagues after acquiring the Dubai franchise of the International League T20 - Dubai Capitals, in UAE's newly announced T20 Cricket League. Further additions have been made to GMR Sports’ global sports portfolio with the addition of Seattle Orcas and Hampshire Cricket recently.