Suhail Chandhok: Revamping India’s Very Own Sport

India’s prominent sports presenter, commentator and current CEO of U Mumba, a Kabbadi franchise, Suhail Chandhok, follows the famous quote by the legendary  American football player and coach Vince Lombardi – “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get back up.” His life journey has been filled with many ups and downs, or simply put, it has been a roller coaster ride.

Coming from a family deeply involved in sports, Suhail Chandhok was destined for a career in sports. Despite belonging to the third generation of racing drivers in the Chandhok family, he chose to pursue cricket. This decision made him the first Indian to win the prestigious Oxford Cambridge Half-Blue award.

Although he had a talent for theatre, Suhail opted for cricket. He secured a spot in the IPL franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore’s team, for the 2009 Champions League. However, tragedy struck. He suffered a severe injury that required stem cells from his arm to be inserted into his knee. This forced him to reevaluate his playing career, ultimately leading him to become one of India’s leading sports presenters and commentators.

Suhail was the youngest commentator at the time of his debut in the commentary field. To excel in the field, he spoke to former players, medalists at the international level, coaches, active players, and team owners to understand the sport better. Since his childhood, he has had a different perspective on sports. In an era when every Indian child was a die-hard fan of Sachin Tendulkar, he had a poster of Zimbabwean cricketer Andy Flower on the wall of his room. He used to watch the most random sports like Sepaktakraw or cricket match between Kenya and Bangladesh. It helped him to make the rapid change. Besides cricket, he presented many shows based on Football, Hockey, and Kabaddi. 

In the initial days of the Pro Kabaddi League, he added glee to the sport with his energetic and pumping commentary. Talking about his journey with the Pro Kabaddi League, he said, “When the opportunity came, In the office, very few people wanted it. Coming into a sport I didn’t know very well was a dream. For most people, it would be scary, but for me, it was a chance to learn a new sport. Kabaddi, being our own sport, was the main draw for me.” 

Suhail watched the Pro Kabaddi very closely and understood how franchises work, what a Kabaddi team needs and what support a raw talent requires to evolve and perform. He gave his expert analysis in shows while bringing life to live sports with his words. Considering his experience and expertise in the game, Unilazer Ventures Pvt. Ltd., the company that owns the U Mumba franchise in Pro Kabaddi, appointed him Chief Executive Officer of the franchise in 2023. He is responsible for the management and development of the U Mumba. 

Upon his appointment as U Mumba’s CEO, he said, “This is a franchise with a rich legacy, known for its fantastic team culture, and I look forward to building on the vision that’s been created and all the success so far. As a franchise that represents the City of Dreams, Mumbai, I’d love for our franchise to remain a team that players aspire to represent, and we hope our team culture always reflects that as we create an environment where players get to express themselves & come away as more complete players and individuals”. 

Suhail Chandhok swiftly achieved prosperity upon taking on the position of CEO at U Mumba. Under his guidance, the U Mumba chess team, rebranded as upGrad Mumba Masters, advanced to its inaugural final since Pro Kabaddi Season 3. Chandhok’s arrival has completely transformed and rejuvenated the U Mumba team, from its uniforms to its mentality. The team’s culture has enhanced, and the players now operate cohesively as a unified unit.

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