TN's Ulhas finding his feet in Serbian league

Just as he back-pedalled in defence, Ulhas KS took a sharp step forward to intercept a pass. He then charged up the court a few paces before delivering a pass to a teammate, who went on to score.

- Shahid Judge

MUMBAI: In the space of just a few seconds, the 26-year-old from Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu became the first-ever Indian to play in and make his mark in the top-flight Serbian National Basketball League, Division 1.

"All I have been through in my journey, all the performances and hard work, it has led to this," Ulhas tells HT over the phone from Serbia, where he plays for Novi Pazar.

"When I found out I was getting a chance to play in one of the biggest leagues in Europe, I was very happy and excited. It was worth the wait." It did take the Indian national player some time to adjust to the new environment. The language barrier was an issue, as was the fact that he is a vegetarian in a country where options are few and far between. Then there is the harsh European winter. "It's currently -13°C," he adds.