New Delhi: Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) franchise U Mumba on Monday appointed former Indian men’s kabaddi team captain Rakesh Kumar as the team’s new head coach for the next season. The 41-year-old Indian will replace Iran’s Gholamreza Mazandarani in the concerned role.
During his playing career, Rakesh was part of India’s two Kabaddi World Cup gold campaigns in 2004 and 2007, both were held in India itself. He was also part of the national team winning three gold medals at the prestigious Asian Games in 2006 (Doha), 2010 (Guangzhou), and Incheon (2014).
Congratulations to team Services – 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 of the 71st Sr. National Men’s Kabaddi C’ship 💪
Well fought, team Indian Railways! The match was worthy of a final ✨#UMumba | #आमचीMumba pic.twitter.com/3yt0Vha5co
— U Mumba (@umumba) February 23, 2025
Rakesh was bought by Patna Pirates in the inaugural season of the PKL for INR 12.80 lakh. He was named the captain of the franchise as the team finished at third position with seven wins from 14 matches and 45 points. Rakesh moved to U Mumba in the third season and played for the franchise for two seasons until 2017 before he was picked up by Telugu Titans.
Rakesh Kumar’s vision for U Mumba’s future
The former kabaddi player was appointed as the head coach of Haryana Steelers in 2019 and guided the team to playoffs in the very first impression in PKL season 7. He was replaced by Manpreet Singh in 2022 as the head coach of Haryana Steelers.
“It gives me immense pleasure to welcome Rakesh back, this time as a Head Coach. It’s going to be a very exciting phase, not just for us but for him as well,” U Mumba CEO Suhail Chandhok said in a release.
“His respect among the players is unparalleled, I know he’s got very big goals as a Coach and we share the same drive to take the team forward into this fresh chapter,” he added.
Rakesh said that he aims to build a strong squad for U Mumba and get back them to their formative years’ shape.
“I am pleased with my homecoming to U Mumba after such a long time. I used to wear the Mumba colours as a player and now, I have the responsibility of coaching the side,” said Rakesh.
“I hope that in the upcoming season, we build a strong squad and get the team back into the same rhythm it had in the first three seasons. We will work hard to achieve this. I am grateful to be back,” he added.
U Mumba made it to the playoffs of the PKL season 11 after finishing in fifth position at the end of the group stage. The team lost to Patna Pirates 31-23 in the Eliminator 2.
Former Indian Kabaddi captain Rakesh Kumar has been appointed as the head coach of the Pro Kabaddi League’s U Mumba franchise. Kumar, a two-time Kabaddi World Cup gold medalist, will aim to revitalize the team, building a strong squad to recapture their past success. Kabaddi Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
