How UP Yoddhas are Performing in PKL 10 and Where Do They Stand After 6 Matches?

The UP Yoddhas, who have yet to win a Pro Kabaddi League title, have assembled a formidable team once more and are aiming to win the trophy this season as they kick off their season 10 campaign. With 15 points against their name and the big score differential of +23, they are ranked 7th in the league rankings. They have split their two wins, two losses, and one tie. On Saturday, December 23, 2023, at 9:00 p.m. IST, the Yoddhas will play their sixth match of the tournament at the SDAT Multi Purpose Indoor Stadium in Chennai against the Gujarat Giants.

In the opening game of their campaign, the Yoddhas fell short against the U Mumba, losing 31–34 overall and with a three-point deficit. Their captain, Pardeep Narwal, was unable to score even one point during the game, which was the primary cause of their defeat. In Pardeep's absence, Surender Gill, Vijay Malik, and Anil Kumar stepped up and scored seven, five, and seven points, respectively, to keep the team's scoreboard running.

The Yoddhas were on fire in their second game, destroying the Haryana Steelers by a massive margin of 30 points (57-27). Pardeep Narwal quickly gained momentum and ended the game with a massive 10 and 12 raid points. Surender Gill made his imprint on the largest stage, masterfully complementing Pardeep and accumulating about 13 raid points.

In their third game, the UP Yoddhas again showed their might and thrashed the Telugu Titans with a scoreline of 48-33. Surender Gill once again owned the mat and scored 14 raid points. Nitesh Kumar was the best defender with five tackle points.

The Bengaluru Bulls put brakes on UP Yoddhas’ campaign as they handed them a two-point defeat at their home stadium. The raiders were at their best as usual but the lack of points scored by the defenders was the reason for the defeat.

UP Yoddhas played out a draw with the Bengal Warriors with a score of 37-37. Surender Gill and Vijay Malik were the team’s lone warriors who took the team to a draw and avoided another loss. Gill scored 18 points whereas Vijay scored 7 points. And in their last match, Yoddhas lost against Puneri Paltan by 43-18.

Pardeep Narwal, Surender Gill, and Vijay Malik are three outstanding raiders for the UP team. Vijay has been Surender Gill and Pardeep Narwal's excellent supporting raider. The defenders have not been to their best in the tournament yet and need to come in form soon if UP is to stand any chances of making the playoffs.

In Kabaddi, when one team member does well, the other department typically takes the lead and gains confidence from it. Because of this, the UP Yoddhas will be hoping once more that their raiders open the game against Gujarat with a bang. They also hope that by having played in such a prominent league, their experience would enable the defenders to play with maturity and prevent advanced tackles.