Pro Kabaddi 2021: UP Yoddha captain Nitesh Kumar feels he can beat Pardeep Narwal in a 100m race

UP Yoddha captain Nitesh Kumar believes he could beat his new teammate, Pardeep Narwal, in a 100 meters race.

During his appearance on Sportskeeda's Kabaddi Hangout, Nitesh Kumar participated in a Rapid Fire round. When asked about the one Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) star that he could beat in a 100 meters race, Nitesh named Pardeep Narwal.

Nitesh also labeled Pardeep as his funniest teammate in the UP Yoddha squad. In the same show, Nitesh formed his ideal starting seven featuring himself, Pardeep, Sumit, Sunil Kumar, Mahender Singh, Ajay Thakur and Naveen Kumar. Interestingly, he did not pick Bengaluru Bulls captain Pawan Kumar Sehrawat.

Nitesh Kumar also expressed his excitement at being able to play the PKL after a gap of two years. He mentioned that he would not take much pressure and play with a free mind on the mat.

"PKL is returning after a gap of two years and I am very excited to play again. I have always played with a free mind and I am not under any kind of pressure," said Nitesh Kumar.

Nitesh Kumar has scored 222 tackle points in the Pro Kabaddi League

Nitesh Kumar made his Pro Kabaddi League debut in Season 5 for the UP Yoddha franchise. He has since played in 67 matches for the Uttar Pradesh-based team, scoring 222 tackle points at an average of 3.05 successful tackles per match.

Under Kumar's captaincy, UP Yoddha qualified for the playoffs in Season 7 but failed to win the trophy. With Pardeep Narwal joining the squad this year, the chances of UP Yoddha winning PKL 8 are very high.

The Nitesh Kumar-led outfit will open their Pro Kabaddi 2021 campaign against the defending champions Bengal Warriors on Wednesday.

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