Picture Credit: Twitter
The eight edition of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) is all set to kick off on December 22 this year in Bengaluru. 12 teams will be fighting it out for the prestigious title. Meanwhile, 2015 champions and one of the successful teams of the league, U Mumba, will battle it out against the host team Bengaluru Bulls on the opening day of PKL 2021.
The team has been through a major overhaul this season as priority given to youthful squad. The Ronnie Screwvala team was able to retain its vital player Fazel Atrachali and Abhishek Singh for the upcoming season. The squad also managed to retain Ajinkya Rohidas Kapre and Harendra Kumar as defender-raider duo for the upcoming season.
The former champions will have their team studded with versatile all-rounder Mohsen Maghsoudlou, Ashish Kumar (Ex-Bengaluru Bulls) and the young prodigy Ajith Kumar V.
It will be interesting to see how U Mumba's former defender Rajaguru Subramanian performs the role of head coach this season and grooms youngsters to eventually lift their second league title.
The team will have 11 matches in the first half of the season, playing against each team once in the table. The season 2 champions have their four matches scheduled in December 2021 while rest of their matches will be played in the first month of new year.
In view of COVID protocols, all the matches are scheduled to take place in Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel and Convention Center without spectators. The teams will be put in single integrated and secure bio-bubble.
PKL 2021-22 U Mumba: Full Squad
Coach- Rajaguru Subramanian
Captain- Fazel Atrachali
Defenders- Fazel Atrachali, Harendra Kumar, Rinku, Ajeet, Sunil Siddhgavali,
Raiders- Abhishek Singh, Navneet, Ajith V Kumar, Rahul Rana, Jashandeep Singh, Prathap
All-rounders- Ajinkya Rohidas Kapre, Mohsen Maghsoudlou Jafari, Pankaj, Ashish Kumar Sangwan
Key Players:
Fazel Atrachali — Defender
Sunil Siddhgavali — Defender
Abhishek Singh — Raider
Ajinkya Rohidas Kapre — All-rounder
Ashish Kumar Sangwan — All-rounder
Scheduled of U Mumba in PKL 8:
December 22: Bengaluru Bulls vs. U Mumba, 7:30 PM IST
December 24: U Mumba vs. Dabang Delhi K.C., 7:30 PM IST
December 27: Tamil Thalaivas vs. U Mumba, 7:30 PM IST
December 30: Jaipur Pink Panthers vs. U Mumba, 7:30 PM IST
January 1: U Mumba vs. UP Yoddha, 7:30 PM IST
January 4: Haryana Steelers vs. U Mumba, 7:30 PM IST
January 8: U Mumba vs. Telugu Titans, 8:30 PM IST
January 11: Patna Pirates vs. U Mumba, 7:30 PM IST
January 13: U Mumba vs. Puneri Paltan, 8:30 PM IST
January 15: U Mumba vs. Bengal Warriors, 9:30 PM IST
January 18: Gujarat Giants vs. U Mumba, 8:30 PM IST