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UP Yoddhas had a decent outing in the ninth edition of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), finishing fourth in the league stage. They won 12 out of 22 games, picking up 71 points, thus making it to the knockouts.
However, the Yoddhas suffered a close defeat against Tamil Thalaivas in the second Eliminator to crash out of the tournament.
UP Yoddhas will be keen to continue their good show in the 10th season. Since the team's inception in 2017, they have made it to the playoffs every season and have been one of the most consistent sides in the tournament.
As they aim to lay their hands on the coveted trophy for the first time, here is a list of five players to watch for in PKL 10 from UP Yoddhas.
5. Gagan Gowda
An emerging talent, Gagan Raju Gowda, was roped in by the UP Yoddhas ahead of PKL 10. Gagan impressed one and all in the Yuva Kabaddi Series while playing for the Hampi Heroes team.
Gowda had a stellar season, amassing 261 raid points from 23 matches. His impressive raid strike rate of 93.21 percent, and 11.34 average raid points per match with 16 Super Raids and as many Super 10s make him a player to watch out for.
If given enough opportunities, Gagan could contribute to a successful season for the UP-based franchise.
4. Sumit
Sumit proved to be the best defender for UP Yoddhas in the last edition. He picked up 54 tackle points from 21 matches with five Super Tackles and three High 5s.
Outplaying skipper Nitesh Kumar, Sumit was impressive in the ninth edition of the PKL. In 67 PKL games, he has 193 tackle points to his name. The left-cover defender will look to build on his confidence and put up a better performance this season.
3. Surender Gill
Another key player to watch out for from the UP franchise is Surender Gill. The UP raider had a successful outing in the previous season, finishing with 140 raid points from 14 games, including six Super Raids and eight Super 10s.
Gill has 400 raid points from 55 games, including 15 Super Raids, 16 Super 10s, and an average of 7.27 raid points per match. The tall and sturdy raider is also expected to play a crucial role for his side this time.
2. Nitesh Kumar
Nitesh Kumar is all set to lead the UP Yoddhas in the 10th season of the PKL. He has played 113 games, collecting 313 tackle points with 23 Super Tackles and 20 High 5s.
Nitesh had a disappointing campaign in PKL 9, picking up only 34 tackle points. He struggled for consistency throughout the tournament.
However, the Yoddhas’ skipper is an exceptional defender and will be keen to bounce back this season and lead from the front.
1. Pardeep Narwal
Pardeep Narwal is one of the most renowned raiders in the coveted history of Indian Kabaddi. The star raider has had a stellar career, picking up a massive 1577 points in 153 PKL matches.
With 1568 raid points alone, Pardeep has been an absolute beast on the mat. He has 73 Super Raids, 79 Super 10s, an average of 10.25 raid points per match, and a successful raid ratio of 45 percent.
Pardeep displayed fine form in the previous season as well, racking up 220 raid points from 22 games. With nine Super Raids, 11 Super 10s, and an average of 10 raid points per match, Pardeep finished sixth in the list of most raid points in the season.
UP Yoddhas will bank on his experience and expect Pardeep to replicate his form in PKL 10.
