PKL Auction 2021: 3 players U Mumba could target
Ahead of the PKL Auction 2021, U Mumba have retained their core players and will mostly be looking to build a team around them. They failed to go the distance in the last two seasons after qualifying for the playoffs and will begin their trophy conquest once again in the eighth edition.
Iranian stalwart and skipper Fazel Atrachali has been retained by U Mumba along with talismanic raider Abhishek Singh, who emerged to lead the raiding department in Season 7. Sensational all-rounder Ajinkya Kapre, defender Harendra Kumar and youngster Navneet make up an impressive list of retentions.
U Mumba have released Sandeep Narwal, over whom the side splurged ₹89 lakh. The burly all-rounder,failed to justify his hefty price tag for the most part. Arjun Deshwal and Rohit Baliyan are some of the other notable releases.
It will be interesting to see the Mumbai outfit's strategy for PKL Auction 2021 as they will have one of the lowest purses at their disposal among the 12 teams. On that note, let's take a look at three players who U Mumba might target at the PKL Auction 2021:
#3 Rohit Gulia
Rohit Gulia burst into the sport through the Future Kabaddi Heroes Program. He put in some impressive performances for Gujarat Fortune Giants and was in peak form during Season 7.
With 132 raid points and 25 tackle points, Gulia's all-round skills were on display. The 23-year-old's been branded a 'do-or-die specialist' and will certainly take the pressure off Abhishek Singh. With U Mumba having released a majority of their all-rounders, he might just be at the top of their wishlist at the PKL Auction 2021.
#2 Baldev Singh
Bengal Warriors' Baldev Singh emerged as one of the mainstays of the title-winning team in Season 7. The right corner defender was a force to be reckoned with, scoring 66 tackle points over the course of the season.
The 28-year old is one of the most promising youngsters and will certainly be targeted by many teams at the PKL Auction 2021. A corner duo comprising of Fazel Athrachali and Singh is a tantalizing prospect and U Mumba fans will certainly be hoping for it to be a reality in PKL 8.
#1 Rishank Devadiga
Rishank Devadiga was part of the Season 2 title-winning U Mumba side, for whom he played during the league's first four seasons before being bought by U.P. Yoddha. Although Devadiga's form has taken a slight dip over the past couple of seasons, his die-hard fans will know that his comebacks are always stronger than his setbacks.
With age on his side, the 27-year-old will be one of the best raiders on offer at the PKL Auction 2021. U Mumba lacked experience in their raiding department last season and might just look towards Devadiga to further bolster their raiding department for PKL 8.