NEW DELHI: When U Mumba step onto the mat in Season 12 of the Pro Kabaddi League on August 30, they will sport a special jersey celebrating their iconic 2015 championship win. Unveiled on Friday on the 10th anniversary of that maiden title, the jersey not only honours one of the league’s most dominant campaigns but also ushers in a new era of fitness-focused preparation.
To mark the milestone, U Mumba unveiled their Season 12 jersey, inspired by the iconic kit from their Season 2 championship. The design stays rooted in the team’s trademark orange-and-black identity while adding modern touches, including a tribute to Mumbai’s Airport - symbolising a bridge between past glory and future ambitions.
Complementing the tribute, the franchise has also underlined its forward-looking approach with a fierce new fitness drive, launching the longest pre-season camp in its history - a rigorous 50-day program. Spearheaded by strength and conditioning coach Pratiek Ninawe, a former international sprinter who blends sprint mechanics and explosive movement science into multiple sports, the camp was designed to convert raw strength into match-day performance.
Players first underwent mobility and assessment drills to address individual gaps, before progressing to heavy strength training that pushed them past the 110kg squat benchmark, endurance sessions to build stamina, and sprint work to sharpen agility and explosive power.
“Although I wasn’t part of the 2015 campaign, that victory led by Anup Kumar is etched in kabaddi history and remains a huge source of inspiration for us. Wearing a jersey that pays tribute to that triumph reminds us of the standards U Mumba has always set. As captain, my focus is on carrying forward that legacy with this new group combining the experience of our seniors with the energy of our youngsters, and chasing our second PKL title this season,” U Mumba captain Sunil Kumar said.
With a record 111 league-stage wins and three consecutive finals in their first three seasons, U Mumba’s legacy runs deeper than results. The franchise has been a factory for homegrown talent, many of whom have gone on to represent India, while also driving kabaddi’s rise across the country. Now, that tradition of shaping the sport extends to how the game is played physically, pioneering modern fitness methods rarely seen in kabaddi. By pairing its player development track record with cutting-edge conditioning, U Mumba is setting new standards for preparation and performance in the league.
“The Season 2 championship was a breakthrough. It validated the commercial and cultural potential of kabaddi at a national scale. For us at U Mumba, it underlined the importance of building professional structures, investing in people and approaching sport with the same rigor as any other business. It was one of the most memorable runs in the League's history and a decade later, that win still shapes our approach: sustainable growth, long-term value creation and leaving behind a legacy that goes beyond trophies,” team owner Ronnie Screwvala said.
