KOZHIKODE:When it comes to the men’s volleyball event of the 35th edition of the National Games, the state team will get a real local colour as the lead four players belong to Kozhikode.
Of the 12-member squad, Captain Vipin M George, Arjuna awardee Tom Joseph, setter Manu V and Aziz M T, will keep the hopes of Kerala high for Kozhikode at the Jimmy George Complex, V K Krishna Menon Indoor Stadium, where the event will take place.
Tom, Vipin Manu and Aziz hail from Kozhikode district, while Manu Joseph, the spiker joining the state team from the Railways, is a product of SAI Kozhikode centre. If there will not be any major changes, these players will dominate in the first six of the team.
Speaking to ‘Express’ over phone from Chennai, Tom Joseph expressed the excitement of playing before local people after many years. “It would be a good experience to play in Kozhikode, our homeland. The coming of Kapil Dev and Manu Joseph from the Railways will be an added advantage for Kerala,” he said. Tom, hailing from Poothampara in the district, says that the team is set to win the title which they lost to Tamil Nadu in the last National Games, in 2011. Recently, Tamil Nadu had defeated Kerala in the semi-final round of the National Senior Volleyball Championship held in Chennai. “In the National Games also, the biggest challenge is from Tamil Nadu. Besides them, Punjab is also a challenge,” says Tom.
Vipin M George, the Kerala captain, says that playing in the home ground is a pleasant experience. It is also a hard task at the same time. “Anyway, it will be a great moment,” he adds. Vipin, hailing from Thottumukkom in the district, last played in Kozhikode in 2000, when the city hosted the national championship. “For myself and Tom, we are playing in front our people in a major event after a long hiatus of 14 years, while for the others it will be a debut experience,” says the attacker, adding that all the teams have equal possibility and Kerala will show its best performance in Kozhikode. The Kerala team is on the way to Chennai to taking part in the Federation Cup tournament and they consider this a warm-up match before the National Games matches in Kozhikode. Manu V, the setter of the team, hails from Perambra, while M T Aziz, a promising player, is from Nadapuram. Like Manu Joseph, who is from Kannur, Tom, Manu, Vipin and Aziz also picked up the lessons of the sport from Kozhikode SAI centre.
The inclusion of Manu Joseph, who impresses with his power-packed smashes, will also be an advantage to the state team.