Former Pro Kabaddi League champions Dabang Delhi KC will start their Season 11 campaign against U Mumba tonight (Thursday, October 18). The Gachibowli Indoor Stadium will host the encounter.
Dabang Delhi KC had a decent season in PKL 10, where they qualified for the playoffs even though their captain and main raider Naveen Kumar got injured midway through the tournament. Ashu Malik stepped up and delivered the goods for Delhi in the absence of Naveen.
On the other hand, U Mumba's experiment of playing with a combination of young raiders and experienced defenders proved to be a failure. The Mumbai-based franchise were eliminated in the league round after managing only six wins.
U Mumba have made major changes to their squad this year, with big names like Sunil Kumar, Parvesh Bhainswal, and Manjeet Dahiya joining the team. Meanwhile, Dabang Delhi KC have retained their core group from last season featuring Yogesh Dahiya, Naveen Kumar, Ashu Malik, and Himmat Antil.
Before the two former PKL championship-winning teams start their Season 11 campaign, here's a look at the three players Dream11 users can pick as captain or vice-captain for tonight's contest.
#1 Naveen Kumar - Dabang Delhi KC
Dabang Delhi KC's co-captain Naveen Kumar has been an unstoppable force in the Pro Kabaddi League. He is already among the top 10 most successful raiders of all time in PKL history, and had it not been for his lengthy injury breaks, Naveen could have been in the top three by now.
Naveen knows how to torment the opposition defenders with his swift raids. It is rare to see the Dabang Delhi KC have an off day in the office, which is why he is the number one choice for captaincy in the fantasy contests for tonight's Pro Kabaddi League game.
#2 Mohammadamir Zafardanesh - U Mumba
The biggest positive for U Mumba from Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 was the rise of their Iranian all-rounder Mohammadamir Zafardanesh. Playing his first PKL season, Zafardanesh scored 148 points in 20 matches, with most coming in the raiding department.
Although U Mumba have signed a brilliant raider in Manjeet Dahiya this year, the team management will expect Zafardanesh to play the lead raider's role. He knows how to outwit the opposition defense with his skills.
He is also a handy option in the defense, making him a contender for captaincy or vice-captaincy in Pro Kabaddi League Dream11 contests.
#3 Yogesh Dahiya - Dabang Delhi KC
Dabang Delhi KC's right-corner defender Yogesh Dahiya was the breakout star of Season 10. Making his debut in the tournament, Yogesh attained the third position on the Most Tackle Points list, earning 74 tackle points in 23 matches for his franchise.
Although teams will have more data about Yogesh's skills this year, the youngster should find a way to earn more tackle points in the right corner position. If Yogesh sticks to his basics and executes his plans well, he can return with a High 5 in tonight's Pro Kabaddi League match against U Mumba.