UPKL Season 2: Aligarh Tigers Squad, Players, and Team Overview
The Aligarh Tigers are a new kabaddi team that joined the Uttar Pradesh Kabaddi League (UPKL) for Season 2. This team brings fresh energy and talent to the professional kabaddi circuit. Aligarh Tigers is owned by Sumit Sarraf, the Managing Director of Shekhar Sarraf Memorial Hospital. The team was announced in October 2025, marking the second new franchise to join the league after Kanpur Warriors.
The arrival of Aligarh Tigers in UPKL Season 2 is important for kabaddi because it expands the league’s reach. The league now has twelve teams instead of eight, giving more players a chance to play at the professional level. Aligarh Tigers will compete alongside teams like Lucknow Lions, Yamuna Yodhas, Awadh Ramdoot, and other established UPKL teams.
About the Team Owner and Vision
Sumit Sarraf, the owner of Aligarh Tigers, shared his vision when the team was announced. He said that UPKL has set a new standard for kabaddi and given the sport professional recognition. This inspired him to own a team. According to Sarraf, Aligarh has huge sporting talent that has not been fully used yet.
The owner’s goal is to use Aligarh Tigers to bring this local talent to the world of professional kabaddi. Through this team, Sarraf wants to show that Aligarh is a strong sporting city. For Aligarh Tigers, it is not just about winning matches. The team’s mission includes giving chances to local players, promoting fitness and health in the city, and putting Aligarh on the map of Indian sports.
This vision aligns with the larger purpose of UPKL. The league was created to find new kabaddi talent and give players a clear path from local level play to professional competition. Aligarh Tigers represents this belief by focusing on local athletes and building a strong kabaddi culture in the region.
The Squad Composition of Aligarh Tigers
Aligarh Tigers selected 14 players through the UPKL Season 2 auction. These players were picked from different categories based on their experience and playing level. The squad includes raiders, defenders, and all-rounders who together form a balanced team.
The team also received four federation-selected players to complete the roster of 21 players. These four players came from a pool of 14 players chosen by the federation. Two of these four federation players are from Aligarh itself, which shows the team’s focus on local talent. The other two are from nearby regions like Jalaun and Muzaffarnagar.
The Aligarh Tigers squad was finalized by Head Coach Arun Kumar. All players were asked to arrive in Aligarh on December 5 to begin their final training. The team conducted a week-long special training camp from December 6 to December 12 before starting their league matches on December 24.
Vinay Tewatia is the biggest name in the Aligarh Tigers squad. He was bought for Rs 5.90 lakh during the UPKL Season 2 auction. This made him the most expensive purchase of the entire auction day. His high price shows that scouts and team management believed he is a top raider in kabaddi.
Vinay is a raider by position, which means he is responsible for attacking the other team’s defense. Raiders score points by touching defenders and getting out without being caught. In kabaddi, a good raider can change the course of a match. Vinay’s selection at such a high price means Aligarh Tigers expects him to be a game-changer for the team.
Kunal Bhati was the second most expensive raider in the Aligarh Tigers squad. He was bought for Rs 1 lakh (100K) during the auction. Like Vinay, Kunal is a Category A player, which means he is among the best in his position. Kunal’s role is also to raid for the team and score points through attacking moves.
The combination of Vinay and Kunal at the raiding position gives Aligarh Tigers two strong attacking options. When one raider gets tired or makes a mistake, the other can take over. This gives the team flexibility in their raiding strategy.
Prince Sharma is a defender for Aligarh Tigers. He was purchased for Rs 60K during the auction. Prince plays in Category B, which shows he is an experienced defender. Defenders have a different job than raiders. They must catch the attacking raiders from the other team and stop them from scoring points.
In kabaddi, a good defense is just as important as strong raiding. Prince Sharma’s role will be to protect Aligarh Tigers’ side and reduce the points scored by the other team’s raiders.
Manish Kumar is also a defender in the Aligarh Tigers squad. Like Prince Sharma, he was bought for Rs 60K. Manish is a Category B player, making him an experienced defender. Having two strong defenders like Prince and Manish helps the team maintain a solid defensive line.
Aniruddh is a Category B raider who was purchased for Rs 60K. Aniruddh provides additional raiding support to Vinay and Kunal. In a kabaddi match, teams need multiple strong raiders because matches are fast and exhausting. If the first raider gets caught, the next raider enters the field quickly.
Mid-Category and Lower-Category Players
Aligarh Tigers also bought several players in Category C and Category D. These categories include raiders like Anuj, Rajat Panwar, Anas Khan, and Uday Patel. Defenders like Praveen Chaudhary and Vipin Kumar also come from these lower categories. These players were bought for lower amounts, ranging from Rs 25K to Rs 60K.
Category C and D players are often younger or less experienced than Category A and B players. However, they can still play important roles. In kabaddi, a lower-category player can sometimes surprise everyone with a good performance. These players also get chances to learn from senior players on the team.
Vashu is listed as an All-Rounder (ALR) in the Aligarh Tigers squad. This means Vashu can both raid and defend. All-rounders are valuable in kabaddi because they give the team more options during a match. An all-rounder can switch between raiding and defending based on what the team needs at that moment.
UPKL Season 2 Auction Details
The UPKL Season 2 auction took place in November 2025. During this auction, all 12 teams selected their players. A total of 500 players were available for bidding. The auction had a total purse of Rs 1.70 crore, which was shared among all teams.
Aligarh Tigers entered the auction as a new team. They did not have any retained players like some other teams. Retained players are those who were part of a team in the previous season and were kept by the team management without going through the auction.
The Lucknow Lions, who are the defending champions, retained several key players from their championship team. This included Arjun Deshwal (Rs 3.10 lakh), Vivek Chaudhary (Rs 1.00 lakh), and Mohd Amaan. By retaining experienced players, Lucknow Lions tried to maintain their winning team structure.
For Aligarh Tigers, the auction was their first chance to build a team. The strategy seemed to be focused on getting a strong lead raider in Vinay Tewatia and then building support around him with other raiders and defenders.
Aligarh Tigers Squad
| Player Name | Role | Bought At |
| Vinay Tewatia | RDR | 590K |
| Kunal Bhati | RDR | 100K |
| Akshya Rathi | DEF | 60K |
| Prince Sharma | DEF | 60K |
| Aniruddh | RDR | 60K |
| Manish Kumar | DEF | 60K |
| Anuj | RDR | 60K |
| Rajat Panwar | RDR | 41K |
| Anas Khan | RDR | 40K |
| Vashu | ALR | 40K |
| Uday Patel | RDR | 40K |
| Praveen Chaudhary | DEF | 25K |
| Mayank Singh | RDR | 25K |
| Vipin Kumar | DEF | 25K |
Team Strategy and Playing Style
Based on the Aligarh Tigers squad selection, the team’s strategy appears to be strong raiding combined with solid defense. The team invested heavily in their raiding department by buying Vinay Tewatia for Rs 5.90 lakh, which was the highest amount spent on any single player in the UPKL Season 2 auction.
This investment shows that Aligarh Tigers believes raiding is key to winning matches in kabaddi. Good raiders can single-handedly win matches by scoring many points. By getting Vinay as the lead raider, Aligarh Tigers has a player who can create scoring opportunities.
At the same time, the team also picked solid defenders like Prince Sharma and Manish Kumar. A balanced team needs both good raiders and good defenders. Without good defense, even strong raiders cannot win matches because the other team will also score many points.
The inclusion of multiple Category C and Category D raiders gives the team depth. In a tournament that lasts several days or weeks, players get tired. Having many raiding options means that if one raider is not playing well or needs rest, another raider can come into the match.
Aligarh Tigers brings new energy to the UPKL and represents the league’s growth into more cities. With a strong lead raider in Vinay Tewatia, solid defenders, and good support players, the team has the potential to be competitive in UPKL Season 2. The team’s focus on local talent and community development shows a long-term vision beyond just winning matches in the current season.
The success of Aligarh Tigers will depend on how well the players perform together, how the coach implements strategies, and how the team recovers from losses and learns from mistakes. As UPKL continues to grow, teams like Aligarh Tigers will play an important role in making kabaddi a truly national sport that reaches every corner of India.
