Ganga Kings of Mirzapur has made a strong statement with their auction strategy for UPKL Season 2. The team from the historic city of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh spent a record amount on their star defender Nitin Panwar, making him the second-highest buy of the entire UPKL auction. This decision shows that Ganga Kings believes defense is the foundation of winning kabaddi.
The team name Ganga Kings refers to the famous Ganges River, which flows through the Mirzapur region. Mirzapur is known for its rich history, culture, and weaving traditions. Now, the city gets to see professional kabaddi with Ganga Kings competing in UPKL Season 2 starting December 24, 2025, at the Noida Indoor Stadium.
With 14 players on their squad, Ganga Kings of Mirzapur is ready to take on 11 other teams in one of India’s biggest state-level kabaddi tournaments. The team has invested carefully in different positions to create a balanced squad that can compete from day one.
The Franchise Owner’s Vision
Ganga Kings of Mirzapur, the main goal is to win UPKL Season 2. The team’s auction strategy suggests the owners believe in the power of good defense.
The owner Jai Prakash Singhania also wants to develop local talent from Mirzapur. Having a successful professional team can inspire young kabaddi players in the city. This can create a pipeline of talent for future seasons.
The franchise represents Mirzapur at the national level. Success in UPKL brings pride to the entire city and region. This is a big responsibility and motivation for the players.
The Star Defender: Nitin Panwar
Nitin Panwar is the face of Ganga Kings of Mirzapur. At 445,000 rupees, he was the second-highest purchase of the entire UPKL Season 2 auction. Only Vinay Tewatia of Aligarh Tigers was bought for more money at 590,000 rupees.
Nitin Panwar plays the DEF position, which means he is a pure defender. His main job is to stop raiders from the other team and score defensive points called tackles. In kabaddi, a good defender can win matches for the team by controlling raids and stopping the opposition’s scoring chances.
Nitin Panwar is a Category A player, the highest player category in the auction system. Category A players have shown strong performance in past tournaments and have high market value. His price shows that many teams wanted to buy him, but Ganga Kings got him first.
Having a star defender like Nitin Panwar gives the team confidence. Players know they have someone experienced leading the defense. The team can trust Nitin to handle tough raiders and make smart decisions during matches.
Building the Defensive Unit: More Than Just One Star
Ganga Kings did not stop at buying Nitin Panwar for defense. The team bought several other defenders to create a strong defensive line that can handle any raiding attack. A good defense in kabaddi is not about one player. It is about all players working together as a team.
Ashish Nagar is the second major defender bought by Ganga Kings. He was bought for 150,000 rupees at auction order 26. Ashish is also a Category A player like Nitin Panwar, which means both these defenders have experience and proven skills.
The team also bought Gaurav Giri for 100,000 rupees and Amit Nagar for 100,000 rupees. Both are Category B defenders, which means they are solid performers with good skills. These two defenders add depth to the defensive unit.
Gaurav Bansal was bought for 60,000 rupees and is a Category B defender. Anant Rana was bought for 50,000 rupees and is a Category C defender. Aditya Kumar was also bought for 40,000 rupees as a Category C defender.
In total, Ganga Kings spent about 480,000 rupees on six different defenders. This large investment in defense shows the team’s clear belief that stopping the other team is how you win matches. The defensive unit is the biggest part of the Ganga Kings squad.
Raiding Unit: Creating Scoring Chances
While Ganga Kings made big investments in defense, the team also bought raiders to score points. A good kabaddi team needs to do both – raid well and defend well. Without good raiders, no team can win matches.
Shivam is a Category A raider bought for 100,000 rupees at auction order 74. Shivam plays the RDR position, which is a raiding position that allows a player to both raid and defend.
Ajay Malik is another raider bought for 62,000 rupees at auction order 7. He is a Category B raider and provides another raiding option for the team. Yadav Udit Kumar Ramara was bought for 40,000 rupees and is a Category C raider.
The team also bought young raiders like Himanshu Malik and Sameer Hussain. Both were bought for 25,000 rupees each and are Category D players, which means they are young talents who may not have much experience but bring speed and energy.
In total, Ganga Kings spent about 227,000 rupees on five different raiders. This is much less than what the team spent on defense. The strategy is clear: strong defense and enough raiding power to score points.
All-Rounders: The Flexible Players
All-rounders can both raid and defend, making them very useful players in kabaddi. Ganga Kings of Mirzapur bought two all-rounders to give the team more flexibility during matches.
Raj Sahani is the main all-rounder, bought for 40,000 rupees at auction order 85. He is a Category C all-rounder and can switch between raiding and defending depending on what the match needs.
Himanshu Sharma is the second all-rounder, bought for 25,000 rupees at auction order 157. He is a Category D all-rounder, which means he is a young player who can learn and grow with the team.
All-rounders give Ganga Kings the ability to change their game plan. If raiding is not working, all-rounders can help the defense. If the defense is doing well, all-rounders can contribute to raiding efforts.
The Mirzapur Connection: Local Pride
Mirzapur is a historic city in Uttar Pradesh with a population of over 1.5 million people. The city is famous for handmade carpets and brocade fabrics. It sits on the banks of the Ganges River, which is why the team is called Ganga Kings.
For the people of Mirzapur, having a professional kabaddi team is a source of pride. Young players in the city can now watch their local team play at the highest level. This can inspire them to take up kabaddi as a career or hobby.
The team’s name connects Mirzapur to the Ganges River, one of India’s most important rivers. This connection to local geography and culture makes the team feel special to the people of Mirzapur.
Defensive Strategy: The Core of Ganga Kings
Based on their squad selection, Ganga Kings believes in a defensive-first strategy. This means the team will try to control matches by stopping the other team from scoring many points. When defense is strong, the other team has less chance to win.
In kabaddi, matches can be won by controlling raids. If you can stop 5 out of 10 raids from the other team, they cannot score many points. Then your own raiding team just needs to score enough to win.
Ganga Kings has invested in experienced defenders like Nitin Panwar and Ashish Nagar who understand this strategy. These players can guide younger defenders on how to position themselves, when to attack, and when to be cautious.
The team also has young defenders like Himanshu Choudhary who bring speed and energy to the defense. In modern kabaddi, speed is very important because raiders are getting faster and more athletic.
Raiding vs Defending: A Balanced Approach
While Ganga Kings focused on defense, the team did not ignore the raiding unit. In kabaddi, you need both strong raiding and strong defending to win consistently.
The team bought experienced raider Shivam as a Category A player. This shows that Ganga Kings did not skip raiding. They just chose to invest more in defense. The team has enough raiding power to score the points needed to win matches.
Having young raiders like Himanshu Malik and Sameer Hussain also helps. These young players can develop into strong raiders over time. If they perform well in UPKL Season 2, they may become important players in future seasons.
Ganga Kings’ Journey in UPKL Season 1
Ganga Kings played in UPKL Season 1 with a different squad. That experience is helpful for UPKL Season 2. The team learned about their strengths and weaknesses in Season 1.
The team’s management now knows what worked and what did not. They can use that knowledge to make better decisions in Season 2. This is why investing in experienced defenders like Nitin Panwar and Ashish Nagar makes sense.
UPKL Season 1 also helped the team understand their opponents. Ganga Kings will face many of the same teams in Season 2, so they know what to expect.
Squad Table: Ganga Kings of Mirzapur UPKL Season 2
| Player Name | Role | Category | Auction Price (Rupees) |
| Nitin Panwar | DEF (Defender) | A | 445,000 |
| Ashish Nagar | DEF (Defender) | A | 150,000 |
| Shivam | RDR (Raider) | A | 100,000 |
| Ajay Malik | RDR (Raider) | B | 62,000 |
| Gaurav Giri | DEF (Defender) | B | 100,000 |
| Amit Nagar | DEF (Defender) | B | 100,000 |
| Gaurav Bansal | DEF (Defender) | B | 60,000 |
| Anant Rana | DEF (Defender) | C | 50,000 |
| Yadav Udit Kumar Ramara | RDR (Raider) | C | 40,000 |
| Aditya Kumar | DEF (Defender) | C | 40,000 |
| Raj Sahani | ALR (All-Rounder) | C | 40,000 |
| Himanshu Malik | RDR (Raider) | D | 25,000 |
| Sameer Hussain | RDR (Raider) | D | 25,000 |
| Himanshu Sharma | ALR (All-Rounder) | D | 25,000 |
Ganga Kings of Mirzapur has built a squad with clear focus on defensive strength and balanced raiding power. The team spent 445,000 rupees on Nitin Panwar, showing their belief in the star defender. With Ashish Nagar as support, Ganga Kings has a defensive foundation that can be strong.
The team’s investment in young players like Himanshu Malik and Sameer Hussain shows they are thinking about the future. Building a successful kabaddi team takes time. You need experienced players to win now and young players to win in the future.
Ganga Kings enters UPKL Season 2 with a clear strategy, good squad depth, and experienced players. Whether the team’s defensive-first approach works will be revealed during the tournament. But the squad has the quality to compete against the best teams in the league.
The historic city of Mirzapur now has a professional kabaddi team to support. Ganga Kings of Mirzapur represents the region with pride and aims to bring success to the city. The team’s journey in UPKL Season 2 starts on December 24, and the entire region will watch with interest.
