Blast from the past: MVPs from previous seasons

Season 1: Anup Kumar (U Mumba)

The 2016 World Cup winning captain was bought by U Mumba for Rs 10.2 lakh in Season 1 and proved instrumental in taking the team through to the final. Known as the “captain cool”, he maintained his composure through some tough matches and more often than not came up with match winning raids. By means of his famed “toe touches” he amassed a massive 155 raid points and topped the raid points charts. U Mumba have enlisted his services again for a fifth consecutive season and they will be hoping he combines well with fellow raider Kashiling Adake and takes them through to their second title triumph.

Current team: U Mumba

Position: Raider, Left In

Special move: Toe Touch

Season 2: Manjeet Chhillar (Bengaluru Bulls)

Manjeet Chhillar led the charge for the Bengaluru Bulls in Season 2, which saw them narrowly miss out on the title to previous season’s finalists U Mumba. He battled health issues during the league stage but put mind over matter to help the Bulls defence greatly. In the semi-finals, when it mattered the most, he conjured a last-minute raid to also bring his attacking skills to the fore. The current record holder for most tackle points will be seen in Jaipur Pink Panthers colours this season as they look to emulate their victorious first season campaign.

Current Team: Jaipur Pink Panthers

Position: All Rounder, Left Corner

Special Move: Block

Season 3: Rohit Kumar (Patna Pirates)

Rohit Kumar took the league by storm in his debut season, emerging as the first MVP from a title winning team. He unleashed big raids at crucial stages and played a pivotal role in Patna Pirates’ maiden triumph. With a staggering 102 raid points from 12 appearances, which included a match haul of 16 points against bottom-placed Dabang Delhi, Kumar constantly kept his opponents guessing with his fleet-footedness. However, Kumar moved out of Patna Pirates following his title triumph after Bengaluru Bulls paid a staggering Rs 81 lakh to seal his signature in what was the second most expensive deal ahead of the fifth season.

Current Team: Bengaluru Bulls

Position: Raider, Right In

Special Move: Hand touch

Season 4: Pardeep Narwal (Patna Pirates)

This exciting, young talent from Patna Pirates had the most raid points in Season 3 and started Season 4 from where he had left off. He returned 131 raid points and finished as the second most successful raider. The ‘dubki’ king, ensured that Patna Pirates didn’t miss Rohit Kumar much, who moved to Bengaluru Bulls ahead of the season, and secured as many as five super 10s, and a match-winning 16 points in the final against Jaipur Pink Panthers. He currently shares the record for highest raid points in a match (24) with Kashiling Adake and is going to renew his campaign with the Pirates as their only retained player from the fourth edition.

Current Team: Patna Pirates

Position: Raider, Left In

Special Move: Dubki