There may have been a mini-storm in Kolkata on Sunday evening, but some 1500 kilometres away at Hyderabad’s GMC Balayogi Stadium, a storm raged ceaselessly for the best part of an hour. The Kolkata Thunderbolts, partnered by The Telegraph My Kolkata, unleashed a tempest on the Ahmedabad Defenders that was not just unexpected, but seemed impossible, before the first-ever RuPay Prime Volleyball League (PVL) final.
Thundering like never before, Kolkata won their second consecutive match in straight sets to whitewash the Defenders and hold aloft the most glamorous trophy in Indian volleyball.
With the score in Kolkata’s favour at 14-12 in the third set, it was Matthew August who provided the golden touch — an impenetrable block — at the net to write himself and his irrepressible teammates into the record books. Table-toppers Ahmedabad had started the game as slight favourites, but Kolkata’s intensity, confidence and relentless drive made it seem like the Defenders had brought a knife to a gun fight.
Rarely has a final in any tournament across any franchise sport in India been so one-sided, and while nothing can take away Ahmedabad’s excellence across the tournament, when it came to the biggest occasion of them all, the nerveless Thunderbolts had it all their own way.
The Thunderbolts came out of the blocks fast and strong, and never took things lightly Courtesy: Kolkata Thunderbolts
Kolkata off to a perfect start
The final began with a moment of early drama as the Defenders used one of their two in-game reviews for just the second point of the match. The call proved to be spot on as Ahmedabad quickly registered a two-point lead. Mohammed Riyazudeen got Kolkata off the mark before an uncharacteristic service error from Rodrigo Villalba provided the first indication that Ahmedabad were not in their element.
Ahmedabad were let down by poor service and erratic net play at pivotal moments of the first set Courtesy: Kolkata Thunderbolts
As the first set progressed, Angamuthu and Ashwal Rai exchanged their customary winners before Vinit Kumar’s velvet touch made it 10-8 to Kolkata at a crunch juncture of the set. Kolkata did not look back from there, and even though Shon T John claimed a super point for the Defenders, it was Vinit who brought the curtain down on the opening set with a super serve. Kolkata had drawn first blood in the final, taking the first set by 15-13.
Vinit Kumar, besides winning the man-of-the-match award in the final, was named the most valuable player of the tournament Courtesy: Kolkata Thunderbolts
The Vinit Kumar show once more
Vinit followed up his man-of-the-match performance in the semi-final against the Calicut Heroes with another showstopping display in the final. There was no better example of Vinit’s decisiveness than the second set of the match where his serves and spikes pulled Kolkata clear whenever Ahmedabad appeared to catch up.
Every time Ahmedabad pressed onto the front foot, Kolkata’s well-drilled team responded comprehensively with counter attacks Courtesy: Kolkata Thunderbolts
Rai also found his gear in the second set, delivering his trademark cushioned spikes between the opposition blockers to keep Kolkata ahead. A successful review from Rai on an electric serve from Rahul Ramesh K gave Kolkata an 8-5 lead in the second set, which turned into 11-7 in no time. Then it was left to Vinit again, this time with a down the line spike — arguably the shot of the final — to take Kolkata on the cusp of closing out the second set.
Kolkata won most of the long rallies in the final, giving the Defenders little to no momentum to build on Courtesy: Kolkata Thunderbolts
Ahmedabad rally but cannot resist the Thunderbolts
The third set saw the Defenders dig deep to claim the early initiative. But Vinit was not going to let anybody spoil his and Kolkata’s on-court party as he brought out the big spikes to keep Kolkata in the set. Rai outfoxed Shon to make it 6-5 for Kolkata, before Vinit’s unstoppable hits created some breathing room for the Thunderbolts.
Out of sorts and practically out of the final, Rodrigo smashed a defiant shot right into the face of Rai, but it was too little too late. Even after the Defenders won a super point to come within two points of Kolkata at 9-11, it never felt like the Thunderbolts would release their iron grip over proceedings.
Kolkata players celebrate after Matthew August’s block clinches the title for their team Courtesy: Kolkata Thunderbolts
After the Defenders had saved two championship points, it was August whose lion-fisted block popped the confetti cannons. By winning the third set at 15-10, Kolkata had made a mockery of their underdog status, proving to one and all that a team that peaks at the right time and plays with the right mindset, can overcome all the odds.
The Thunderbolts lift their coach Sunny Joseph during the team’s victory lap Courtesy: Kolkata Thunderbolts
A triumph for Indian volleyball
While Kolkata’s mercurial men like Vinit, Rai and Rahul have been instrumental to this championship victory, the role of the rest of the unit should not be underestimated. The solidity of Aravindhan S, the dynamism of Riyazudeen, the positional awareness and agility of Hari Prasad and the ability to seize the most important moments shown by August, have all played their part in making it a glorious campaign for the Thunderbolts. On the bench, the imperturbable Sunny Joseph, ably assisted by his support staff, have weathered the difficult phases and prevented the team from getting carried away when on top.
Indian volleyball has reason to be optimistic after what we have witnessed in Hyderabad over the last month. Exciting, end-to-end volleyball that is as entertaining for the fans as it is empowering for India’s most talented players is a huge step in the right direction for the sport in India. It is now up to the organisers and owners of the PVL franchises to keep the show going and ensure that they continue on their mission to make volleyball the household sport in India it so richly deserves to be.
