Hyderabad, Jan 31 (IANS): Ahmedabad Defenders on Monday named India international volleyball player Muthusamy Appavu as their captain for the upcoming season of Prime Volleyball League, which begins on February 5 at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad.

The ace setter, who was bought at Rs 10 lakh by Ahmedabad Defenders at the Auctions in December 2021, hails from Thiruvarur, Tamilnadu. He made his national team debut in 2018 and has been part of India's various memorable moments such as the Bronze Medal feat at U21 BRICS Games 2018 and the Silver Medal-winning U23 Asian Championship, where he bagged the Best setter award. He was also part of the Senior Indian team for the 2021 Asian Men's Volleyball Championship.

On his new role, Muthusamy said, "It's a matter of great pride and honour for me to lead the Ahmedabad Defenders franchise in a top league like RuPay Prime Volleyball League. I would like to thank the owners, coaches and the support staff for providing me with this opportunity and showing faith in me. It's a big responsibility, and it will certainly motivate me to give my best for the team as a captain."

"We have a good mix of young and experienced players in the team, and we are fully prepared for the season. We look forward to giving our 100 per cent for the team, and hopefully, we have a memorable tournament ahead," he added.

Ahmedabad Defenders' head coach Dakshinamoorthy Sundaresan stated, "Muthusamy brings a lot of valuable experience along with his skills. He is a natural leader, and we are really pleased to have him as captain of the team. We are excited to work with him, and we just can't wait for the season to get started."

Meanwhile, Head Coach Sajad Hussain Malik said that Muthusamy's experience and leadership qualities made him the ideal candidate for the team captain.

"Muthusamy was an ideal candidate for the captain because of his experience. He is someone who has great leadership qualities, he listens to everyone in the team and is someone who guides the young teammates, and I think that made him a great leader," said Head Coach Sajad Hussain Malik.