Virat Kohli joins PWL bandwagon; co-owns team Bengaluru Yodhas
BENGALURU YODHAS, the JSW Group owned franchise in the Pro Wrestling League, has announced India’s Test captain Virat Kohli as the co-owner of the team. Kohli who led the Indian team to a 3-0 Test series victory over South Africa recently, said that he was thrilled to be a part of Bengaluru Yodhas.
The Pro Wrestling League, whose inaugural edition kicked off on the 10th of December in New Delhi’s KD Jadhav stadium, pits six city-based franchises against one another in one of the richest freestyle wrestling tournaments in the world. The Bengaluru Yodhas will face UP Warriors in their opening fixture on Friday, 11th of December.
Kohli said that when the idea of co-owning the Bengaluru Yodhas came up, he was thrilled and had no second thoughts whatsoever about picking up a stake.
“I was thrilled on hearing about the Pro Wrestling League and JSW Bengaluru Yodhas. I am no stranger to the city of Bangalore and it is wonderful that I can extend my association by way of the Yodhas,” he said.
The Pro Wrestling League according to Kohli will give the sport the kind of fillip it requires and also had a few encouraging words for the Yodhas.
“I am confident that the Yodhas will be a vital cog in the scheme of things. I am excited and cannot wait to follow all the action on the mat,” he said.
Parth Jindal, director JSW Sports, said that Kohli’s association with Bengaluru Yodhas was exactly the kind of impetus that the sport needed.
“Virat is currently one of the biggest names in Indian sport and one of Bengaluru's favourite athletes. We are delighted to welcome him on-board as a co-owner of the Yodhas. Virat’s intensity and passion for sport has always been his hallmark and I am sure the same determination will be transferred to the Yodhas as we look forward to a successful first season in the Pro Wrestling League.
The Bengaluru Yodhas are captained by 74 kg wrestler Narsingh Yadav, India’s sole medallist at the 2015 World Wrestling Championship. Giving Narsingh company are Sandeep Tomar, Bajrang Punia, Ukraine’s Pavlo Oliiynik and Georgia’s Davit Modzmanashvili in the men’s section. Five-time World Championship medallist Yuliya Ratkevich of Azerbaijan is the Yodhas’ star in the women’s draw. She is joined by USA’s Alyssa Lampe, India’s Lalita Sehrawat and Navjot Kaur.
Kohli also co-owns ISL franchise FC Goa and UAE Royals in IPTL. He joins another cricketer Rohit Sharma as the co-owner of a PWL team. Sharma co-owns the UP Warriors.
The PWL -- the richest wrestling tournament in the world -- is scheduled to be held from December 10-27 and is expected to have a pan-India reach.
