Team owner Ronnie Screwvala said, “We are delighted to welcome him to the family, joining as the chief executive. From being a professional sportsman and a respected figure in the sporting landscape, to his extensive knowledge of the ecosystem of kabaddi and other sports in the country, He will be a valuable asset to the company. I am looking forward to working with him to deliver on our plans for our 10th year of the franchise and beyond.”

“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,” Chandhok said.

Mint recently reported that, after a lacklustre season eight, the recently concluded ninth season of the Pro Kabaddi League clocked a cumulative reach of 222 million, up 17.5% on year. The play-offs and final—last five matches—saw a cumulative reach of 66 million, up 32%, with consumption touching 3.22 billion minutes, said broadcasters Disney Star, citing viewership data from the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India.