PKL 12: Players UP Yoddhas should retain for upcoming Pro Kabaddi season

UP Yoddhas had played the PKL 11 semi-finals because of their strong lineup.

UP Yoddhas were the favourites to win the Pro Kabaddi League season 11 trophy. However, their dreams of a first-ever title were dashed by the eventual winners, Haryana Steelers, in the semi-finals. Despite having a well-balanced squad, the side would like to iron out a few weaknesses in the upcoming auction for the 12th edition of the PKL.

While there is some scope for improvement, UP Yoddhas already have some decent individuals who can be retained if the side aims to challenge for the trophy again. The defensive duo of Hitesh and Sumit Sangwan performed impressively last season, and they can represent the team again in the new season.

Also Read: Players Haryana Steelers should retain for upcoming Pro Kabaddi season

UP Yoddhas needs to include more star players in the raiding department. As the PKL 12 auction approaches, here are the players who should be retained.

Bhavani Rajput and Gagan Gowda should continue

UP Yoddhas were reliant on Bhavani Rajput and Gagan Gowda to score points from raids in season 11 of the Pro Kabaddi League. While the former scored 156 total points in 22 matches, the latter impressed with 146 points in 18 appearances.

Also Read: PKL Season 12 Auction Date Revealed

Bharat Hooda was expected to perform better than he did in season 11, accumulating only 116 points in 23 matches, leading to a disappointing first season with the outfit. It remains to be seen whether the Yoddhas trust Hooda for the 12th season or not, but looking at the performance of Rajput and Gowda in the last season, it seems that they will be a part of UP in the upcoming season as well.

Hitesh and Sumit Sangwan can be key figures

Hitesh was UP Yoddha’s best-performing defender in PKL 11. He scored 74 tackle points in 23 matches, the highest for any player in the squad. It was a huge improvement for the defender, who was playing only his second season in the PKL.

In his debut campaign, he managed only 31 points. Therefore, his immense improvement deserves credit and makes him a strong candidate to be retained in the auction. 

Sumit Sangwan also performed well in PKL 11, and if the UP Yoddhas decide to retain the defender, then they will enjoy another season of his leadership and drive. His partnership with Hitesh was a tough one to break for every opposition during the previous season of the competition.

UP Yoddhas needs to make some changes in their raiding department ahead of the upcoming season of the Pro Kabaddi League.

They already have impressive raiders, but if the team wants to do well in the PKL 12, they will have to add at least one high-profile raider to the squad. As for their defence, the system worked in the 11th edition, and it does not need an overhaul going into the next.

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