Pro Kabaddi 2019, Match 21 preview: Can Siddharth Desai make a mark today?

In Match 21 of Pro Kabaddi 2019, Telugu Titans will take on UP Yoddha at Sardar Vallabbhai Indoor Stadium in Mumbai. In their previous match, Yoddha came back from a two-match slump as acting captain Rishank Devadiga controlled his team brilliantly. On the other hand, the Titans have failed to make any impression so far in PKL 2019 despite having the likes of the Desai brothers – Siddharth and Suraj. The Telugu Titans defence had a very bad start in Pro Kabaddi 2019. The Titans have managed to score an average of eight tackle points per match in PKL 7 so far. In the last season, after four matches, the Telugu Titans had scored an average of 14.3 tackle points. One of the main reasons for the poor start to this season has been that the team’s star defenders, captain Abozar Mighani and Vishal Bhardwaj, have not been clicking. 

Check Pro Kabaddi schedule and points table here
 
Player battle
 
UP’s Nitesh Kumar vs Titans’ Siddharth Desai
 
No other defender in Pro Kabaddi history has tackled Siddharth Desai as much as Nitesh Kumar (five successful tackles). With Siddharth Desai out of sorts at the moment, Nitesh will be looking to extend his advantage over him. Siddharth’s worst record in PKL 2018 was against UP Yoddha. Among the opposition he had faced more than once last season, UP Yoddha was the only team against whom he hadn’t picked up a SUPER 10. UP Yoddha is the only team against whom his raid strike rate went below 50. He has been tackled by UP Yoddha a total of 12 times and most of it came in his strong zone. 
 

Nitesh Kumar Successful Tackles vs. Siddharth Desai – Skill wise (Overall PKL)
Successful Tackle	Ankle Hold	Thigh Hold
5	3	2

 
UP Yoddha vs Telugu Titans head to head

Head to head, UP Yoddha have an advantage over Telugu Titans as they won four out of six matches, while one match ended in a tie.
 

Match No.	Telugu Titans	UP Yoddha	Result
PKL 6, M #107	20	27	UP Yoddha won by 7 points
PKL 6, M#51	26	26	Match Tied
PKL 6, M#13	34	29	Telugu Titans won by 5 points
PKL 5, M#44	23	25	UP Yoddha won by 2 points
PKL 5, M#24	32	39	UP Yoddha won by 7 points
PKL 5, M#8	18	31	UP Yoddha won by 13 points

 

UP Yoddha vs Telugu Titans probable starting seven
 

Telugu Titans	Vs	UP Yoddha
Abozar Mighani ©	Right Corner	Nitesh Kumar©
Palle Mallikarjun	Right In	Monu Goyat
Farhad Milaghardan	Right Cover	Narender
Siddharth Desai	Center	Shrikant Jadhav
C. Arun	Left Cover	Amit
Suraj Desai	Left In	Rishank Devadiga
Vishal Bhardwaj	Left Corner	Sumit