TN’s Muthusamy to lead first Indian Club in Volleyball World Championships

CHENNAI: Ahmedabad Defenders will become the first Indian club to participate in the Volleyball World Club Championship 2023, having won the Prime Volleyball League earlier this year.

The significance of being the inaugural Indian club to represent the nation on the global stage cannot be overstated. Consequently, the stakes and the expectations are high. In a conversation arranged by Sony Sports Network, DT Next caught up with Muthusamy Appavu, the team’s captain, who is from Tamil Nadu.

Expressing his joy, Muthusamy said, “Last season, we finished as runner-up. However, the elation of winning the title this year lasted only about a week as we had to quickly shift our focus to preparing for the World Club Championship. We have long awaited this tournament, and we are determined to give our best performance.”

The international teams participating in the tournament are the defending champions, Italy’s Sir Sicoma Perugia, Cruzeiro Volei, Suntory Sunbirds of Japan, amongst others. Muthusamy highlighted the significance of sharing the court with some of the world’s top players, stating, “This tournament features a mix of international players in each club. We also have some good foreign players in our team, so it’s a good exposure for all the participating teams.”

Adding to its roster, Australian hitter Max Senica, recently joined the squad and started training with the club.

Despite concerns regarding delays in releasing players from various departments and limited training time, Muthusamy said, “Our team has been together for a while now. Most of us were part of the Indian team camp, played in the Asian championships, and Asian Games. It’s all about fitness now; team coordination shouldn’t be a problem.”

The road ahead won’t be easy for Ahmedabad, as they find themselves in the same group as the defending champion and South American heavyweight Itambe Minas. Addressing the group, Muthusamy said, “This is the first time an Indian team is participating in the tournament. We haven’t even seen these international teams in person; we’ve only watched them in videos. The team is focused on delivering a strong performance; victories will automatically follow if we achieve that. The first match on December 6th is important.”

Reflecting on the growth of volleyball in Tamil Nadu, Muthusamy said, “Volleyball as a sport is growing in Tamil Nadu. SRM University boasts some excellent players. When I used to study there, we had almost three different teams.”

Looking ahead, the Tamil Nadu Volleyball League, scheduled from January 2nd to January 12th, 2024, in Chennai, will feature 14 teams, contributing to the further enhancement of the sport in the state.

—Ahmedabad Defenders will take on Itambe Minas on 6th December and it can be watched live on Sony Ten 1 and Sony Ten 3 from 08:30 PM onwards.