Forged in Fire: Ashoka Men’s Football Team

Your football speaks for itself. An apt summary of the Ashoka Men’s Football Team.  

The AUMFC’s football certainly speaks for itself, and it does so in volumes, as they enter Agneepath with a record that is hard to ignore. Since their first gold at BITS Goa in March of 2025, the side has put together a brilliant run of tournament victories, kicking off the new academic year with a gold at BITS Pilani, then coming back to sweep the World University of Design’s Cult sports fest, and sealing the year off with yet another gold at Shiv Nadar University in November. 

This success, members of the team note, is a result of not just great leadership, but consistency that has been cultivated over time. Pre-Dhruv Achappa, the team played with a focus on individual flair, but since his becoming captain, and therefore an even more central role in team dynamics, the team has now started to play as a unit. 

This shift has not only been noticeable in results, but also in how the team approaches game preparation. Training, for this Ashoka side, is less about elaborate set plays and more about repetition and clarity. Achappa is quick to point out that the team does not rely on rigid tactical scripts, but on a shared understanding of roles across the pitch—from centre-backs holding their line, to midfielders knowing exactly when to step forward and when to cover.

“Earlier, it was more about individual players,” reflects first-year starter Ranabeer Chhabra, “now it’s more about how well the team plays together.” Both senior players and newer members described a system that focuses on positioning, trust, and discipline, which has allowed the team to maintain a stable system despite injuries, absences and rotations which force changes to the starting XI over time. 

Central to this transformation, I came to realise after conversations with the team, was the leadership group within the squad. The team runs on a leadership group system, where 3-4 members of the team hold leadership responsibilities as opposed to the conventional captain-vice captain. At the helm lies Dhruv Achappa, captain, central midfielder, and after my interview with him, a force to reckon with. His tenure marks a clear inflection point in the team’s trajectory. Under his leadership, rather than relying on individual flair, the team has leaned into specific patterns of play. Chhabra explains, “It’s not about what one person does, it’s about how everyone fits into the system.” 

But, beyond the team’s emphasis on playing as a unit, accountability comes into the picture, and this is most reflected in training culture. What stands out about the AUMFC’s sessions is their attendance. The leadership team have both insisted on one non-negotiable when it comes to joining the team—showing up. Sessions extend for hours, the result of which is a side that appears increasingly managing different phases of a game, whether it comes to a narrow lead, chasing an equaliser, or holding down the fort. Vice-captain Bhavin’s role within this structure has been equally significant. For Bhavin, a third-year right-back, stepping into leadership required a personal shift as well. While his footballing ability was never in question, he says leadership demanded something different—consistency of character. Arriving early, maintaining distance when necessary, and setting standards off the pitch mattered just as much as performances on it. “Leadership isn’t about how you play anymore,” he reflects. “That’s already proven. It’s about who you are off the pitch.”

I would like to specially mention Vehaan Wadhwa, a second-year left-back, and my reason for the same is the mighty praise that Achappa and Bhavin had for him. Bhavin remarks that he knows only three things about him, “He is the regen (regeneration) of JD (4th year mid-fielder Jaidhar Vashist), and there’s three things that I know define him—gym, football and academics.” Not just this, but he resembles what I find most admirable about the team as a whole—consistency, because not only does he show up early to warm up before every session, but he also trains on off-days, and has in general improved his game to the extent that he now regularly starts for the team.

Having yet to experience defeat in Ashoka colours, Ranabeer is candid about his ambitions. “I don’t know what it feels like to lose yet — and I don’t want to,” he says simply. His focus remains on sustained effort, physical conditioning, and eventually mentoring future first-years the way he himself was supported.

Today, as the team gears up to take on the final at Agneepath 7.0, second-year Munashe’s words echo through my head, “When I play well, I just enjoy it. One game at a time.” 

The message from within the camp is consistent. Success is not accidental. It is trained for, shown up for, and shared.

And if there’s one phrase that captures the essence of this team, it’s the one Ranabeer returns to effortlessly:

Football speaks for itself.