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We put up a strong first impression with our appearance in VIVO Pro Kabaddi 2017, making it to the play-offs in our maiden season itself. The players showed impeccable understanding being put together to play for the first time and won eight matches to finish third in the Zone B points table. The Yoddhas are hungry for more, with some more efficient weapons added to our arsenal as we aim for the coveted trophy in Season 6.
Rishank Devadiga is one of the brightest stars in the Yoddha line-up for the upcoming season. Devadiga has played in every season of the league, pulling off 872 raids in 80 matches, from which he gathered 449 points. One of the most successful raiders the league has seen, Devadiga is the strong pillar upon which the team’s dynamics will depend a lot on. Prashanth Kumar Rai adds his bundle of experience while our skillful raiders’ brigade also consists of Rohit Kumar Choudhary, Shrikant Jadhav, Sulieman Kabir, Azad Singh and Bhanu Pratap Tomar.
Coming to the defenders, one name that is bound to make a difference is that of Jeeva Kumar. The 37-year-old has appeared in as many as 74 PKL matches and is all set to make this season count with his efficient spear tackle. Nitesh Kumar, Amit, Pankaj and Nitin Mavi join the veteran to form a strong wall of defense that is vowed to save every raid point of the opponents.
The squad also boasts of four all-rounders. While experienced Korean all-rounder Seong Ryeol Kim and Sagar Krishna have already felt the Pro Kabaddi heat and shone in their domain, Narender and Arkam Shaikh have all the qualities to own the season with astounding performances.
The team has shown faith on youngsters, which will act as the confidence booster for them to bring out the best, while the experienced Yoddhas will add dimension to the squad’s varied talent pool. With the support of the able coaching staff, UP Yoddha looks ready to make 2018, an even better year in PKL.