The fifth season of Pro Kabaddi is set for a blockbuster start at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad as Telugu Titans face Tamil Thalaivas and U Mumba take on Puneri Paltan later in the day.

The eagerly-awaited league is expected to scale unprecedented heights this year having expanded from eight to twelve teams, which will compete over 13 weeks in an intense battle for supremacy. Opening Day will feature two derby matches that will set the tone for the remainder of the season.

The first match of the season will see newcomers Tamil Thalaivas stepping onto the mat against Telugu Titans under the leadership of Ajay Thakur, who was the top raider during India’s 2016 Kabaddi World Cup (KWC) triumph. Another player to watch out for in this contest between the two teams from the south is Amit Hooda, who will be an integral member of the debutants’ defence having ended last season second on the leader board for tackle points. Other fringe players to keep an eye on this season are the highly-rated Sombir and K Prapanjan, Anil Kumar and Vijin Thangadurai, who all come with Pro Kabaddi pedigree.

Telugu Titans, on the other hand, will begin their campaign in front of their home crowd high on confidence with a squad full of household names. They will be led by the Raid Machine Rahul Chaudhari, who has been one of the most potent raiders over the past few years, consistently delivering on the mat. The Titans also have the likes of last season’s break-out star Nilesh Salunke, Iran’s World Cup hero Mohsen Maghsoudlou and one of India’s favourite sons Rakesh Kumar in their squad.