PKL winning captain Sunil Kumar talks about his legacy, bond with Parvesh Bhainswal & more

Sunil Kumar made his debut in PKL in 2016.

Pro Kabaddi League’s (PKL) most successful captain and U Mumba star, Sunil Kumar, needs no introduction in the sport’s circles. With 74 victories to his name as a skipper, more than any other player in PKL history, the U Mumba headliner is the league’s most celebrated captain as of season 11.

Sunil’s crowning moment came in a 43-29 win over Puneri Paltan at the Balewadi Sports Complex, Pune, when he surpassed Fazel Atrachali’s mark. Moreover, the India international defender enjoyed a productive debut season with U Mumba, playing 23 matches, attempting 110 tackles, 73 raids, and amassing 54 points for his team.

Also Read: Top three captains with most wins in PKL history

Reflecting on his achievements on Beyond the Mat, a new podcast initiated by U Mumba, he shared, “I feel good when someone says ‘most successful captain.’ There were big players before like Anup Kumar, Ajay Thakur, Fazel Atrachali – it feels good that I’ve left them behind and become the most successful captain of PKL.”

Sunil’s Kabaddi journey began in 2010 when he was just an eighth grader. With encouragement from his elder brother and a strong sporting culture in his village, he pursued the sport even when it lacked mainstream appeal. Sunil made his debut in PKL in 2016 before breaking into the limelight the season after. He won his first league title in 2019 and another as captain in 2022.

Also Read: PKL: Top 10 defenders with most tackle points in Pro Kabaddi League history

In his nine seasons in PKL, Sunil has played 160 matches, earned 399 points, attempted 273 total raids, and completed 741 total tackles.

A critical part of his success has been his partnership with childhood friend Parvesh Bhainswal, whom Sunil reunited with the colours of U Mumba ahead of Season 11. Their chemistry on the mat is incredible, formed by years of playing together. Speaking about this unparalleled bonding, Sunil said, “I knew Parvesh before kabaddi, he is my childhood friend.

We started playing Kabaddi together in childhood and we played in various tournaments. Back then, only four or five people were playing, and that’s when we decided that we would always play together. When I hold his hand, I feel like I can tackle anyone. It is all thanks to our coach who has shown trust in us and made our combination very strong”

In 2022, Sunil was named captain of the Indian team for the Asian Kabaddi Championship. Though an unforeseen setback prevented him from playing, he rebounded by winning gold at the Asian Games—a triumph he considers one of his proudest moments. “I was made captain of Team India for the Asian Championships but couldn’t participate due to visa issues. But, the Asian Games followed, I got selected again, this time as a vice-captain, and we won the gold medal!” he shared in the podcast.

In other snippets, Sunil revealed his love for wrestling and admiration for wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt. He also admitted that had he not been a kabaddi player, he would have served his nation either as a farmer or an army man.

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