The Bengaluru leg will see U Mumba take on Jaipur Pink Panthers on Thursday
11th July, 2016, Bengaluru: As the second half of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi begins in Bengaluru, a recharged U Mumba will take on Jaipur Pink Panthers on Thursday after a well-deserved break between 9th and 13th July. The Mumbai outfit, after their spectacular 24-23 win against Bengaluru Bulls in Patna, will look to make the most of their long break in the city, aiming to bounce back and climb up the League table, as the business end of the tournament draws near. As of 10th July, they are in fourth position on the table with 22 points from 4 wins.
The confidence level of the U Mumba camp has always remained upbeat despite an erratic season that hasn't displayed the consistency for which the men in orange and black are known. Surprise defeats at the hands of Puneri Paltan and Telugu Titans might have seen the U Mumba campaign pegged back but coach Bhaskaran believes that the momentum is still there. "Half of the season has gone and we are still in a good position to make the playoffs. The players are always happy and positive especially after the win against the Bulls. Losing and winning are all part of the game."
Having played their first match of Season 4 against Jaipur Pink Panthers on 25th June, they will play the reverse fixture here in Bangalore on the 14th of July, having been well rested and rejuvenated. While some might perceive this to be a sign of losing momentum and becoming complacent, Bhaskaran Sir has faith that his players can keep up their hunger to win despite not playing matches for 6 days. "We have been playing continuously and now we have a good long break. The players are professionals and our practice regime ensures that we play matches between ourselves when we have long breaks to ensure peak match fitness. The rest is good but we know we cannot become complacent and take things easy."
With former U Mumba raider Shabeer Bapu stealing the headlines and almost stealing the game away from U Mumba the last time they met, Bhaskaran Sir confirms that the team have learnt from their mistakes and will strive to not repeat them come Thursday. "We all know the strategy that they were using and we have been working towards making changes to our game plan accordingly."
It remains to be seen if U Mumba can display their high levels of consistency as seen in earlier seasons and turn things around.
The U Mumba players deep in conversation as they gear up to face Jaipur Pink Panthers in Bengaluru on Thursday