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UP Yoddhas will begin their Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) 2024 campaign on Monday (October 21) when they clash with Dabang Delhi K.C. at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad. The last edition saw the Yoddhas finish 11th in the standings with only four wins in 22 league games.
They retained the services of six players - Sumit Sangwan, Surender Gill, Ashu Singh, Hitesh, Gagana Gowda HR and Shivam Chaudhary. On the other hand, they released Pardeep Narwal and Nitesh Kumar, as the team failed to reach the playoffs for the first time in the tournament's history.
In the PKL 2024 auction, the Yoddhas purchased eight players, with all-rounder Bharat Hooda as their top signing. Moreover, Gill was recently appointed as the Yoddhas leader for the 2024 season.
It will be interesting to see if this set of players can help the franchise lift their maiden PKL title. On that note, let's check out the probable starting seven of UP Yoddhas for the upcoming season.
#1 Surender Gill (Raider)
UP Yoddhas skipper Surender Gill made his PKL debut in 2019 and has been a part of the franchise ever since. Gill's best performance came in the 2021 season when he registered 189 raid points with eight Super 10s and a success rate of 39%.
Gill did well in 10 appearances last year, scoring 87 raid points with a success rate of 42%. It remains to be seen if the new role could boost his performance and help the team in securing successful raids.
#2 Bharat Hooda (Raider)
The most expensive acquisition by the UP Yoddhas in the PKL 2024 auction has done well for the Bengaluru Bulls in the last three editions. Bharat Hooda's best performance came in the 2022 season, registering a whopping 279 raid points with a 56% success rate and 10 Super 10s.
However, after scoring 103 raid points in 18 games last season, the Bulls decided to release him. Hooda will be a prized asset to the Yoddhas in the raiding department and act as a strong support to skipper Gill.
#3 Bhavani Rajput (Raider)
Bhavani Rajput registered his best season performance last time out on the mat. He scored 62 raid points in 20 games but had a success rate of only 28%, which forced the Jaipur Pink Panthers to release him.
However, Rajput will bring his four-year experience to the Yoddhas and could help them prevail in crunch moments. His overall tally stands at 151 raid points in 59 games.
#4 Sahul Kumar (Right corner)
Making his PKL debut in 2021, Sahul Kumar played three seasons for the Jaipur Pink Panthers and accumulated 140 tackle points, with five High 5s. With only 39 tackle points last season, he was released by the Panthers.
Nevertheless, the UP Yoddhas secured his services due to his performance in the Uttar Pradesh Kabaddi League 2024. Sahul scored 37 tackle points for Kashi Kings and helped the franchise reach the semi-finals.
#5 Sumit Sangwan (Left corner)
One of the few retained players by the franchise, Sumit Sangwan will look to continue the onlookers with his performances. Making his debut in 2019, Sangwan posted 77 tackle points and since then has been part of the franchise.
In the 2023 season, he had a decent season with 61 tackle points and six High 5s and a success rate of 46%.
#6 Ashu Singh (Right cover)
The right cover defender Ashu Singh was retained by the UP Yoddhas for the 2024 season despite scoring only 20 tackle points in 18 games with a success rate of 25%.
Making his debut in 2019, Ashu has garnered 160 tackle points in 87 games with a success rate of 37%. It will be interesting to see if he can improve his performance in the 2024 season.
#7 Mahender Singh (Left cover)
Mahender Singh was also a notable purchase by the Yoddhas for the 2024 season. The veteran defender has amassed 295 tackle points in 126 games, with 17 High 5s and holds a success rate of 45% during his PKL career.
The last edition saw him secure 31 tackle points in 16 appearances while registering two High 5s for U Mumba.
Probable 7 for UP Yoddhas in PKL 2024
Surender Gill, Bharat Hooda, Bhavani Rajput, Sumit Sangwan, Sahul Kumar, Mahender Singh, Ashu Singh.
