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U Mumba had their task cut out when they entered the auctions ahead of the 10th edition of the Pro Kabaddi League. They had to assemble a squad good enough to challenge for the title.
The Mumbai-based franchise retained only four Elite players ahead of the auction, including Surinder Singh and Rinku. Meanwhile, they also retained four existing NYPs, including Shivansh Thakur and Pranay Vinay Rane.
U Mumba endured a difficult time on the mat during the last PKL edition. The season 2 champions failed to qualify for the playoffs after finishing ninth in the points table.
The Mumbai-based franchise decided to overhaul its squad this time and entered the PKL auctions with INR 2.7 crore. They kept their faith in Guman Singh and used the FBM card to re-sign the raider.
Meanwhile, they also roped in two experienced Indian defenders — Girish Maruti Ernak and Mahender Singh.
They have built a strong squad and here, we will take a look at how their starting seven could shape up in the PKL 10.
Guman Singh (Center)
U Mumba have kept Guman Singh as their main raider after using the FBM card by splashing out INR 85 lakh for him. The player joined them ahead of the ninth season from Patna Pirates.
Guman had a decent last season for the Mumbai-based team with 137 points in 18 matches. However, the season 2 champions will be looking for even better returns from the raider this time around.
Mahender Singh (Left Cover)
After making his PKL debut with Bengaluru Bulls in season 5, Mahender Singh has established himself as one of the best left-covers in the league. He spent five seasons with Bengaluru Bulls before the franchise released him ahead of the 10th edition.
U Mumba spent INR 40.25 lakh to acquire the services of the solid defender. Mahender Singh has a total of 267 tackle points in 110 matches against his name. He is likely to be one of the key players for U Mumba this season.
Surinder Singh (Right Cover)
Surinder Singh kickstarted his PKL career with U Mumba in season 5. He spent three seasons with them before moving to Telugu Titans in the eighth edition of the PKL. However, U Mumbai re-signed him ahead of season 9.
Surinder Singh was one of the few bright spots for U Mumba in the last season as the defender ended up with 36 points in 12 matches. This prompted the Mumbai team to retain him ahead of the auctions. He missed a few matches due to injuries last season and will look to keep himself fit throughout the upcoming season.
Heidarali Ekrami (Left-In)
U Mumba signed the Iranian all-rounder ahead of the ninth season and have retained him for the upcoming season as well. He played 12 matches for the franchise last year but is expected to be the first-choice player this time around.
Heidarali Ekrami scored a total of 34 points in 12 matches in season 9, including 32 raid points and two tackle points. The team will expect the Iranian to contribute more defensively this season.
Jai Bhagwan (Right-In)
Jai Bhagwan kickstarted his PKL career with U Mumba last season. He played as the second raider in the team and had decent returns for a newbie.
Bhagwan scored 82 points in 19 matches during the previous season and the franchise will hope for big numbers from the youngster as it has retained him ahead of the new season.
Girish Maruti Ernak (Left Corner)
U Mumba splashed out INR 20 lakh to sign Girish Ernak in the PKL auctions. The defender played for Bengal Warriors last season and earned 51 points in 18 matches.
Girish has earned himself a reputation for being an inconsistent performer. He often scores big in a match and then goes missing for the next few games. The defender will be itching to deliver consistently this season.
Rinku (Right Corner)
Rinku began his career with U Mumba in the eighth season and has been one of the mainstays in the team ever since. The franchise has retained its prized asset ahead of the 10th season as well.
Rinku earned 59 points in 19 matches during the last season. He will have to lead from the front with solid performances this season to take U Mumba to the playoffs.
Probable 7 for U Mumba in PKL 2023
Guman Singh, Mahender Singh, Surinder Singh, Haidrali Akrami, Jai Bhagwan, Girish Maruti Ernak, and Rinku.
