There is an air of enigma in the way one of the four new franchises, UP Yoddha, have approached the fifth edition of Pro Kabaddi League. Contrary to the enthusiasm with which new franchises approach the auction, the franchise from UP turned out to be the sole team that didn’t pick any priority player in the auction and then shocked everyone with their fat spending on some big names.
In fact, they were the last franchise to announce their team name too.
Without any doubt, all other teams must be following these developments closely and would be trying to make sense of it all. For they know that under the shrewd guidance of their coach J Udaya Kumar, there is a method to every little bit of madness that appears on the surface.
If the coach’s reputation is anything to go by, this is not some dilly dallying of a petulant novice but, in fact, could very well be the first few moves of a well thought out plan by a master tactician.
While they may appear thin on star names on paper, the UP Yoddhas have enough ammunition to become a force to reckon with in their first appearance in the big league. Here are the 5 yoddhas of UP the team will rely heavily on to make a mark in their debut season.
#1 Rishank Devadiga – Raider
For Rishank Devadiga, the fifth edition of Pro Kabaddi League presents a huge opportunity as well as a major challenge. A man who had been synonymous with U Mumba’s success in the league, Rishank will find himself in unfamiliar territory in the absence of the likes of Anup Kumar and Rakesh Kumar around him.
At the same time, this season gives Devadiga a chance to make a name for himself, something that having stalwarts around him prevented him from doing till now.
After the heady beginning to his Pro Kabaddi career, the law of averages caught up with Devadiga in the last season as he looked a little off colour and failed to produce the consistency that had given him his fierce reputation in the previous three seasons.
With the team low on star power, the flashlight is going to be on Devadiga all the time and being the superstar that he is, there is every chance that we will see the Devadiga of old hold court with his terrific do or die raiding.
#2 Jeeva Kumar – Defender
Just like Rishank Devadiga, Jeeva Kumar too will be seen in UP Yoddha colours instead of U Mumba colours in the fifth Pro Kabaddi League. Being the quintessential defender, Jeeva was one of the unsung heroes of U Mumba’s success in the first few editions for the team but the fourth edition saw a dip in Jeeva’s form and it’s no surprise that U Mumba’s swirling fortunes coincided with it.
However, Jeeva’s last season form didn’t deter the UP Yoddhas from going all out to pocket him in the auctions for a whopping 52 lakhs.
Apart from the massive experience that the 36-year-old possesses, the franchise will also be looking up to Jeeva to bring the winning mentality to the new side that he must have developed as a part of the successful U Mumba unit.
Needless to say, the team’s defence will revolve around Jeeva Kumar and the man from Tamil Nadu would know it well that with a big price tag comes bigger responsibilities and the onus lies on him to deliver for his new franchise.
#3 Nitin Tomar – Raider
The UP Yoddhas brought attention back to a name that had been lost in the wilderness of the young and fast world of Pro Kabaddi League. Playing for Bengal Warriors, Nitin Tomar had a season of dreams in the third edition of Pro Kabaddi, the first time he was taking a bite of the big world of Pro Kabaddi.
Almost single handedly, he took a team that finished last in the previous two seasons to the semi finals with 77 raids in 10 appearances.
The high of season 3 was followed by a low of season 4 as, playing for Puneri Paltan, Tomar suffered from injury and indifferent form in a new setup and didn’t look half the player who enthralled the crowds in the previous season.
Little did Tomar know that the low will be followed by an unprecedented jump to vertiginous heights as he became the most expensive player in the history of Pro Kabaddi in the recently held auctions, selling for a jaw dropping 93 lakhs.
The man from UP will doubtlessly be under a considerable amount of pressure to justify the auction madness but keeping aside the moolah and its pressure, anyone who saw him on the mat in the second season would concur that a back in form Nitin Tomar is exactly the kind of crowd puller Pro Kabaddi League deserves.
#4 Rajesh Narwal – All Rounder
Narwal was one of top all rounders of the last season and it would be interesting to see how the 27-year-old fares minus his mercurial partner in the raiding department.
However, a seasoned pro that Narwal is, he will back himself to overcome the absence of Jasvir and form a lethal partnership with an equally mercurial but a fitter and younger Rishank Devadiga. In fact, the partnership between Devadiga and Narwal can give headaches to even the best of defensive units if they can find their rhythm.
The value that the wily customer Narwal brings to the team with his all round abilities can make the number on his big paycheck appear puny.
#5 Mahesh Goud – Raider
Mahesh Goud was brought from Bengal to Patna in the last season of Pro Kabaddi League. However, too many big names around him meant that Goud had to play second fiddle to most of them in the limited opportunities that he received.
That’s why a move from Patna Pirates to UP Yoddhas can pretty well prove to be the blessing in disguise Goud’s Pro Kabaddi career needed. As mentioned above, the UP Yoddhas squad boasts of a unique composition where few big names dominate while a lot of younger names form the rest of the team.
In such a composition, he would seek his window of opportunity as he would look forward to play a more pivotal role as a part of the UP setup than he could at Patna. Moreover, a newer format and a longer season means there are greater chances of seeing Goud in action than seeing him warming the bench.
And Bengal Warriors fan would testify that a fit Goud in action can be a huge threat to any opposition.
