By Gaurav Sharma

New Delhi, Jun 22 (UNI) As the pressure ascended, he kept taking Bonus points, waited for the mistakes - and then delivered the decisive blow. There is something very warming about Indian captain Anup Kumar, who is also leading U Mumba in the upcoming Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). As they say, 'Jeette Hai Wahi Jo Haar Nahin Maantey (Winners are those who don't quit)' it seemed to be a perfect description for the unstoppable skipper as his cool temperament, leadership and tactical acumen has led U Mumba to the title in Pro Kabaddi League(PKL) season two, besides being named as the MVP of the tournament. With 5 feet 9 inches and thick north Indian accent abound, Kumar is a torch-bearer in India’s Kabaddi journey. He was member of the national team that won Asiad gold medals in 2010 and 2014. In an exclusive interview to UNI, the U Mumba skipper talked about his side’s preparations, the players and also mood in the camp ahead of the upcoming league. 1. What is your strategy for the new season? With a new team this year, our focus is on working together as a team towards delivering a strong performance as always. With an integral part of our team still the same - Rakesh, Jeeva, Rishank and myself, this new side, has a good balance of experience and youth, with the new players drafted into the squad at the auction and we're confident of challenging for the title. 2. Among the younger players, who has impressed you the most and how? The younger players are ready and raring to go. The raiding trio of Gurvinder, Surender and Suresu have shown tremendous ability – their theoretical understanding of the game coupled with Coach Bhaskaran’s advice will translate to stronger on-mat performances. Sunil (Kumar), Manoj (Dhull) and Vikas (Kale) are tough defenders who complement Jeeva’s strengths. 3.Your signature move 'Toe Touch' – is very famous among the players. Could you tell us something about it? The “Toe Touch”, like the name suggests, is a soft touch on the defender’s body using quick movement of the foot, mainly the toe to oust him. It is a swift move and if executed correctly you return to your side, untouched. The “Toe Touch” used to be my signature move in Season one but in the later seasons, I realised that defenders anticipated this move and I seemed predictable, which is when I started to adapt different variations of the toe touch and also ensured that it caught my opponent by surprise. 4. How is the mood in the camp right now? The mood is positive, we're feeling confident and ready to go. We have had a good long month of intensive training in preparation for the season. Our coaches and the support staff have worked extremely hard to get us in shape for the season and more importantly in getting us to work together as a unit.

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