PKL 12: Key player battles to watch out for in Match 53, UP Yoddhas vs Gujarat Giants

UP Yoddhas will be eyeing their third consecutive victory in PKL 12.

Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 (PKL 12) are now moving to its third leg of the season. The players have reached Chennai, and the new leg will begin on Monday, with two more spectacular matches coming your way.

In the first match of the PKL 12 Chennai leg, UP Yoddhas will face Gujarat Giants on Monday, September 29, 2025. Gujarat Giants are having a season to forget as of now. The Giants stand at the bottom of the table with one win and 7 losses this season. They have lost 5 consecutive games at the moment, and will be looking for a comeback before it’s too late.

On the other hand, UP Yoddhas have made a sturdy comeback in the past couple of matches of PKL 12 after fighting through a struggling phase in the season. UP Yoddhas had a promising start with two back-to-back wins, but they quickly lost four consecutive matches. However, they have found their rhythm, and have stepped into the winning momentum yet again in PKL 12.

UP Yoddhas are in a solid rhythm at the moment, and they would want to continue it, or else, Gujarat Giants won’t miss the opportunity to sneak a win. Here are the player battles that will be crucial in this upcoming PKL 12 clash.

Also Read: PKL 12: UP Yoddhas vs Gujarat Giants prediction, possible starting 7, head-to-head & free live stream

Gagan Gowda vs Nitin Panwar

Gagan Gowda has been fabulous for UP Yoddhas once again this season. He has performed as their main raider, and has 82 raid points, including 4 Super 10s. Although his focus is more on bonus points, and keeps the score moving for the Yoddhas in the clutch moments.

As far as Gujarat Giants are concerned, Nitin Panwar has been the only defender who has troubled the opponents. Panwar has been stunning with his aggressive defending, and that has been the success mantra for the defenders this season. He has scored 17 tackle points in 8 matches, including a High 5.

If Panwar can restrict Gowda from sneaking bonus points, it will create pressure on the raiding unit of the UP Yoddhas, which is not in the best form.

Rakesh vs Sumit Sangwan

Rakesh is the only raider who is able to make an impact on the opponents, other than Mohammadreza Shadloui, who played an interesting cameo in the previous match. However, Rakesh’s consistency has been a worry for the Giants. He has scored 53 raid points, including 2 Super 10s. However, he has lacked in consistency and hasn’t been able to dominate the opponent.

Moreover, he will have a dominant opponent against him in the next match. Sumit has been phenomenal for the Yoddhas yet again this season. The captain is leading from the front as a great example for his team. He has scored 29 tackle points this season and has 4 High 5s to his name. He will be in the limelight once again, and his team’s performance will certainly depend on how he operates on the left corner.

Bhavani Rajput vs Mohammadreza Shadloui

Bhavani Rajput had a brilliant last match and was a massive contributor to that win. He hasn’t been in his prime form, but showed glimpses in the previous match, and the team will be hoping for more similar action from his side in the next match. Rajput has got just 32 raid points this season, and a single Super 10 that came in the last match.

If he and Gowda can yet again in a good partnership and put pressure on the Giants’ defence, they can definitely get through them, as the Giants’ defence isn’t in their best form either.

However, there is one all-rounder UP Yoddhas have to be aware of. Mohammadreza Shadloui stunned everyone in the previous match when he came out to play as a raider. He wasn’t involved in any tackles and made continuous raids, and even scored 6 raid points.

Other than the last match, he is having the worst season in his PKL career. Shadloui hasn’t been able to dominate raiders with his aggressive defending, and the coach had to take his captaincy back and send him as a substitute to extract a decent performance from him.

It will be interesting to see in what role Shadloui comes out in the next match. However, regardless of the role, if he gets going in any role, the opponent might be in trouble.

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