The Prime Volleyball League is all set to begin with a bang in Hyderabad from Saturday with 7 teams in the fray boasting of an impressive line-up of players, Indian and foreign, and all geared up to stamp their authority.
The league kicks off at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium with Hyderabad Black Hawks taking on Kochi Blue Spikers while the city franchise, Kolkata Thunderbolts, will begin their campaign on Monday, against Calicut Heroes.
A total of 24 matches will be played, with the final on February 27. “Maza ayega”, is what Thunderbolts captain Ashwal Rai told The Telegraph from Hyderabad on Wednesday, which also happened to be his birthday. Now that all the players are together — the foreign recruits having arrived a little late because of visa delays — he just can’t wait to begin.
But will it be a problem that they are unfamiliar with the foreign recruits of the other teams?
“No, no,” says Ashwal, vehemently. “As we are familiar with the Indian players of the other teams, likewise our foreign players are familiar with the other foreign recruits and are aware of their strengths and weaknesses. So, that is not a worry at all.”
The senior India blocker added: “I do not take pressure. But planning and implementing is part of the role of the captain. I am working on the same and learning more about how to lead the team in the best way possible.”
What enthuses Ashwal enormously is the interest he notices in the league, both in the country and abroad.
“I have been getting messages from volleyball players and enthusiasts from the US, Oman, Dubai and other places. I only wish we were not playing before an empty stadium, the price we pay for the pandemic. However, I take solace in the fact that the matches will be telecast live and fans will not miss out on the live action.”
Thunderbolts coach Sunny Joseph is optimistic about the team’s performance: “We have a very good chance of winning the title... I say this because not only do we have a good line-up, I also see the players gelling well on the court.”
Pawan Kumar Patodia, co-owner of the franchise, feels his boys will do a great job since they, “like most dedicated sportspersons”, are here for fame, for recognition and not for money.
“Once I did my research on volleyball, I found it was the second-most widely played game in the world. I also discovered that from November to February every year, the game is played in the lanes and bylanes of Calcutta. And why not, all you need is a 18 metre by 9 metre field, a rope and a ball?” said Patodia.
“But ask any of these people who play the game to name one Indian volleyball player, and they will fail! This anomaly we are out to rectify.
“This fast and pacy game, much in the mould of a Twenty20 match, will catch the imagination of the public, I tell you,” he added. Similar excitement in the league is visible among players of the other franchises too. One such being 39-year-old US international David Lee, who will play as the middle blocker for Calicut Heroes. Lee has played in Indonesia, China, Qatar and India and he feels that the level of volleyball in India is quite high.
“Many of the players are very skilled and quite athletic. They are 2m tall and make really high jumps,” said Lee.
Lee is happy to have met badminton star PV Sindhu “for the third time”. “The first time we had done a commercial together. This time, we chatted about the Olympics and I congratulated her on her success.”
Luis Antonio Arias Guzman from Venezuela is excited to be playing for the Black Hawks. Luis says that he intends to win games for the Hawks, using his “experience, strength and brains”.
Where to watch: The Prime Volleyball League will be telecast live on Sony Ten 1 (English) & Sony Ten 3 (Hindi).