Pro Kabaddi League: UP Yoddha could maintain its winning ways

They secured an exciting victory against Bengal Warriors in their last fixture. Before taking on an improved form, the Yoddhas struggled to make an impact in the ninth edition of the league. 

Nitesh Kumar was the skipper when the season took off, but his captaincy led to only four victories in nine matches. They needed to be more consistent, and even Nitesh required better form.

The right-corner defender had scored only 15 tackle points in nine matches. So he voluntarily stepped down from captaincy, and Pardeep Narwal was announced as the new skipper. 

Coach Jasveer Singh commented on the switch, "Once he (Nitesh Kumar) expressed his desire, we knowing his worth respected it and after a long thorough analysis we only found Pardeep as the best option, given his stature within the team and his past experience leading his past franchise, to take up the role as a captain for UP Yoddhas."

Why could UP Yoddhas maintain good form?

Pardeep Narwal, the former captain of Patna Pirates, led them to victory in the fifth edition of the Pro Kabaddi League. So it was worth giving the man a shot this year. 

Despite Surender Gill's injury, Pardeep kept the Yoddhas on track. He is sixth in the Most Raid Points list with 185 raid points. Under his guidance, other players have gained more confidence, including veteran all-rounder Sandeep Narwal. 

He secured five raid points in two matches. In the last two games. Pardeep notched up 27 raid points. He has a robust support system built around the likes of Sandeep Narwal, Gurdeep and Sumit. 

As long as the new arrangement stays intact, UP Yoddhas could make long strides in the current season of the Pro Kabaddi League. 

Is Jaipur Pink Panther the dark horse for season 9?

Jaipur Pink Panthers won the inaugural season of the Pro Kabaddi League. However, success eluded them in the next few seasons. The Abhishek Bachchan-owned team started strong every season but lost momentum as the tournament competition progressed. 

The last time they qualified for the PKL playoffs was in the fourth season when they became runners-up. Since then, they have yet to reach the playoffs. 

As a result, they became forgotten heroes of the past as time passed. Due to their consistent problems, the owners roped in seasoned experts like Rahul Chaudhari and Sunil Kumar to bolster the squad. 

They built the new squad around the main raider Arjun Deshwal and signed Ajith Kumar from U Mumba. The former has been in great form, having scored 229 raid points in 18 matches. 

One of their biggest strengths is the raiding trio of Arjun Deshwal, V Ajith Kumar and Rahul Chaudhari. Chaudhari's return to form could be considered another win for the Panthers. 

The Showman resurfaced after a miserable eighth season at Puneri Paltan, where he was mostly sidelined. When it comes to their defence, Ankush has been a strong player. 

In addition, the contributions made by Sunil Kumar and Sahul Kumar were a treat to witness. In season eight, the Panthers couldn't win more than three games in a row, a problem that caused their downfall. 

Coach Sanjeev Baliyan, who entered his second year of mentorship for the Panthers this season, is now dead set on leading his team to a breakout run this year. 

So far, Jaipur Pink Panthers have won 12 out of 18 matches. They are now second on the table with 64 points.