"It is definitely an advantage" - Mahender Singh on playing with former teammate Surinder Singh at U Mumba in PKL 10
Left corner defender Mahender Singh has had three outings so far donning the U Mumba orange and black jersey. Having been bought in the auction after being released, the former Bengaluru Bulls skipper has shown glimpses of what he is capable of.
Having played for the Bulls all along, this is the first time that Mahender has turned up for a different team at the Pro Kabaddi League. He played a crucial role in keeping Pardeep Narwal quiet in U Mumba's opening encounter against the UP Yoddhas.
Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, Mahender Singh opened up on how the team environment at U Mumba differs from other teams, with the biggest difference being a bonding with the coaches and support staff as well instead of just among the players.
"It feels good to be at U Mumba. I changed teams for the first time and I want to thank them for the trust they showed me," said Mahender Singh. "The focus is on the game and practice during those times. In other teams, it's only between players but here even the staff participate."
On his partnership with skipper Surinder Singh, Mahender mentioned how they had played together in the past for Himachal Pradesh and that it will be an added advantage for the team.
"We played together a long time ago. We will play together again after a long time. We know each other and we have played together in Himachal Pradesh before. It is definitely an advantage," Mahender Singh asserted.
Having grown up watching Jeeva Kumar put in some hefty dashes, Mahender, who plays in the same position, has idolized him. Now, with Jeeva taking over as the defensive coach of U Mumba, Mahender revealed how he has learnt a lot from him.
"I have watched him play and followed him for a long time. I play in the same position as Jeeva sir. I followed Manjeet (Chhillar) sir and him (Jeeva) as they are very good players. I got a lot of points from him to work on. I discussed a lot with him in the camp. He taught me a lot of things. I will try to learn even more from him during the season," Mahender said.
"Puneri Paltan will be a little difficult to beat" - Mahender Singh picks team that he wants to get the better of at Pro Kabaddi 2023
On the topic of playing at the Dome @ NSCI in Mumbai, Mahender Singh admitted his excitement to play in front of the home crowd. He reckons that U Mumba have so far used the massive home support that they receive to their advantage and he, too, will do it with the team.
"We get a boost from the audience when the cheer for us. I have played matches here before. U Mumba has taken advantage of the home support earlier, now that I am involved, we will together do it. I will request everyone to cheer for the team, love the team and support the team. We will not disappoint you," he said.
There was a shorter window between the auction and the season this time around and Mahender reckons that a little more time would have been better for defensive combinations. He believes that all 12 teams are good but U Mumba might find it a little difficult to beat their neighbors Puneri Paltan.
"We have practiced. If we had more time, it would have been better. All 12 teams are good. The team who will play better on the day will win. I will always play for my team. I think Puneri Paltan will be a little difficult to beat," admitted Mahender Singh.
U Mumba will be in action next on December 15 at Pune as they lock horns with a strong-looking Patna Pirates side. Mahender will have a key role to play in that game as well.