PVL 2022: Vipul Kumar looking forward to leading 'inexperienced' Hyderabad Black Hawks

Vipul, who has eight made eight appearances in the Indian jersey, says he is also gaining from the vast pool of talent and experience the league offers.

The 27-year-old Vipul Kumar will lead Hyderabad Black Hawks in the Prime Volleyball League.

Hyderabad Black Hawks captain Vipul Kumar is thrilled to be leading a young and inexperienced side ahead of the Rupay Prime Volleyball League (PVL), which begins on February 5.

“I’m looking forward to leading this side, especially with a lot of untested players. They are inexperienced but also very open-minded and can adjust to this system with the kind of mindset they have."

Vipul, who has eight made eight appearances in the Indian jersey, is gaining from the vast pool of talent and experience the league offers.

“Even though I’m the captain, I tend to receive as much input from my team members, especially foreign players who have ample experience, having played in the Olympics and other domestic tournaments. We share our thoughts mutually and we are enjoying the process,” he said.

The Black Hawks are responding well to the new 15-point system introduced by the league, according to the captain. “The traditional format was slow-paced compared to this league, thanks to our coach, we were able to calibrate to this system quite easily. Our youngsters have also been enthusiastic to learn the nuances of this tournament as well."

The 27-year-old, who will be playing in a bio-bubble for the first time, emphasised on the need for players to follow COVID-19 protocols to ensure the schedule of the tournament is not disrupted.

Hyderabad Black Hawks will be up against Kochi Blue Spikers on Saturday at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad.

The Rupay Prime Volleyball League 2022 will be telecast Live on SONY TEN1 (English), SONY TEN 3 (Hindi), SONY TEN 4 (Tamil & Telugu) & SONY TEN 2 (Malayalam) channels from February 5 2022.