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If one removes the season IV of the Pro Kabaddi League, there is no doubt which team will take away the title of the 'Lords of the League'. While they have only one title to show against their name, U Mumba have clearly bossed the league and despite an uncharacteristically poor fourth season, where they finished fifth in the league standings, they still enjoy the highest number as well as percentage of wins in the tournament's history.
To put it into perspective, U Mumba have played two matches less than Patna Pirates, the team on a roll over the last two seasons, but still have four more wins than them. That's how consistent they have been as a unit, a fact that is corroborated by two runners up finishes and one winner's title.
After a dismal show in season IV, the team went all out on beefing their raiding department in the auctions. Maharashtra boy Kashiling Adake was brought in while Shabeer Bapu, who turned out for the Jaipur Pink Panthers last season, was brought back.
Even Nitin Madane was roped in to make sure the team's raiding reserves never go empty. By bringing in Hadi Oshtorak in the defence, the team more or less ticked all the boxes when it came to building a team right in the auctions.
With the leadership of one of the best captains and a raiding department this good, it seems that all that U Mumba needs to do is to turn up. However, with four new challengers for the trophy and higher number of matches, this season is going to be different from the previous four and short spells of brilliance won't help the teams if they can't keep the foot on the pedal all the time.
These five players will be key for U Mumba in the fifth season if the team is to live up to the expectations of their fans.
#1 Anup Kumar
As impossible it is to write about U Mumba without thinking about Chennai Superkings, it is equally difficult to not think of MS Dhoni when talking of the U Mumba skipper Anup Kumar. His broad shoulders have done an exceptional job at carrying the U Mumba team through the four seasons and it came as no surprise that the management chose to go with him even for the fifth season despite two factors against it - the last season was forgettable for the team and his age isn't exactly decreasing.
A cursory glance at the team's statistics gives you an idea about the efficacy of Kumar's leadership. He has overseen the development of many a youngsters in the U Mumba setup and brought their best game out of them.
Even as a raider, Anup Kumar is as good as anyone in the league and has won many matches on his own. His consistency and unflappable temperament are what makes him stand out in a tribe that is full of men who are prone to blowing hot and cold. With the addition of Shabeer Bapu to the raiding department, Anup can be expected to be even more dangerous this season.
#2 Kashiling Adake
If one asks for an example that proves the adage that looks are deceptive, show them Kashiling Adake and his raiding stats. From being the lone bright spot for Dabang Delhi for so long to be back playing for a franchise of a state he belongs to, it's a homecoming that the man from Sangli would have dearly wished for.
Just like U Mumba, even raider Kashiling Adake would like to believe the fourth edition never happened and would like to pick up from where he left in the third season.
Adake with Anup Kumar is a dream raiding pair that a coach of any team would give an arm to have at his disposal. However, in the presence of Shabeer Bapu, who was one of the most bankable names for the team in the past, it will be interesting if Adake can make it to the first team.
The ex Dabang captain deserves a place in the team more considering that he has an average of more than 7 raid points per match in comparison to Shabeer's average of about 4.
#3 Shabeer Bapu
There is a sense of nostalgia linked to Shabeer Bapu and his exploits. The raider was phenomenal for U Mumba in the first season along with his partner in crime Anup Kumar.
He played the second season with an injury that he had picked in the first and yet looked the best of the lot. Those two showings are embedded in the fans' hearts in such a way that it is difficult to accept for them that his powers have waned.
The inclusion of Bapu is aimed at reviving the glorious partnership between him and Anup, and also to let Anup Kumar play more freely, without worrying about spending more time on the mat. But owing to two rather unimpressive seasons, there hang some doubts over his effectiveness going into the fifth season.
Moreover, he will receive strong competition from the likes of Kashiling Adake and Nitin Madane. However, on his day, there are fewer left raiders in the game better than him and U Mumba would hope that this season there are more of his days.
#4 Hadi Oshtorak
The 25-year-old was part of both the Patna sides that lifted the trophy in 2016
Despite being one of the best all rounders in the world, it is a little surprising that Oshtorak has only 21 Pro Kabaddi appearances against his name. Often played as a defender, Oshtorak has shown that he is equally good on the offence when the need arises.
But it is in defence that Oshtorak can prove to be an extremely dangerous proposition for any raider.
A powerful lad, Oshtorak believes in going for the raider and bringing him down with a knee or thigh hold instead of waiting for him to make mistakes. More often than not, he pulls it off amazingly well for it's almost impossible to get rid of his hold.
In the fifth season, he looks set to be the team's main man in the defence and add more matches to his frugal tally.
# 5 Nitin Madane
Like Kashiling Adake, it will be a homecoming for another raider who has till now plied his trade for a team that has performed as badly as Adake's team in the league's history. Nitin Madane was pretty much the find of season 1 of Pro Kabaddi with 101 raid points before an injury put him out of the next two seasons.
He didn't look the same man at all in the fourth season but drafted in a setup like U Mumba can bolster anyone's confidence.
Madane is not only pacy and powerful but is an escape artist of some reputation with a habit of getting his team important bonus points. Despite the team having a number of stars in the raiding department, Madane can be expected to do his bit whenever given an opportunity.
