Page 2 - Hockey India League

Hockey India League Auction: Check the top 5 buys in men's auction

A total of 192 players, comprising Indian national team members, domestic talents, and international stars, were purchased during the two-day auction.

HIL Auction: Belgium's Victor Wegnez most expensive player on Day 2

Belgium midfielder Victor Wegnez was the most expensive player on the second day of the Hockey India League players' auction after he was acquired by Soorma Hockey Club for Rs 40 lakh. Other notable overseas players who went under the hammer included the Dutch duo of Thierry Brinkman (Rs 38 lakh) and Arthur Van Doren (RS 32 lakh), who were sold to Kalinga Lancers. Tomas Domene (for Rs 36 lakh to Delhi SG Pipers), Australia's Aran Zalewski (for Rs 27 lakh to Kalinga Lancers) and Blake Govers (for Rs 27 lakh to Tamil Nadu Dragons) were the other top buys on the day. Meanwhile, Moriangthem Rabichandra (for Rs 32 lakh to Kalinga Lancers) and Mohd Raheel Mouseen (for Rs 25 lakh to Tamil Nadu Dragons) were among the top Indian buys.

Dutchman Paul roped in as chief coach of Lucknow HIL franchise UP Rudras

The Lucknow franchise of the Hockey India League will be called UP Rudras, the owners announced while also appointing Dutchman Paul van Ass as their chief coach on Saturday. The 64-year-old, who guided the Netherlands women's weam to gold at the Paris Olympics, will work closely with co-coach Thomas Tichelman and Technical Director Cedric D'Souza, a media release said. "India has an incredible pool of hockey talent and that was evident with their performance at the recently concluded Paris Olympics," the Dutchman stated. "I'm excited and grateful to be part of UP Rudras Our goal is to create an environment where young talents can thrive and make their mark on the national and international stage, added Paul van Ass. Franchise owner Yadu Sports, celebrating 140 years, said they're committed to give back to a state that produced hockey legends like Major Dhyan Chand and KD Singh Babu by investing in the HIL and fostering grassroots development. "We believe this is our chance to give

HIL 2024-25 auction dates, venue, time, live streaming and telecast details

For the first time ever, the HIL will feature both men's and women's leagues running side by side, in what is a big step for women's hockey in the country.

Over 1000 names to go under the hammer at Hockey India League auction

Over 1000 national and overseas names will go under the hammer when the players' auction for the highly-anticipated Hockey India League is held here from October 13 to 15. The league is returning after a seven-year hiatus with an expanded format that includes both men's and, for the first time ever, women's leagues, running concurrently. The players' auction for eight-team men's competition will be held on October 13 and 14, while the historic women's auction will take place on October 15, Hockey India stated in a press release. "This auction not only signifies a revival of one of the most exciting hockey competitions in the world but also a major step forward in promoting women's hockey in India," it added. Over 1,000 players have registered for the two auctions. For the men's event, over 400 of registered players domestic, while more than 150 are international. The women's pool comprises 250 domestic and 70 overseas players. Players are divided into three base price categories

Indian hockey team skipper Harmanpreet is excited for HIL's return

National men's hockey team captain and ace drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh, who has scored 205 goals in 234 international appearances, on Saturday credited the Hockey India League (HIL) for playing a pivotal role in his career development. From being named the Upcoming Player of the Tournament in the 2017 HIL to becoming one of the world's top drag-flickers, it has been a tremendous journey for Harmanpreet who highlighted how the league has helped him grow after rubbing shoulders with some of the best international players. "Hockey India League was a huge part of my development. The league provided me with a stage to enhance my skills by exposing me to different playing styles under different coaches," Harmanpreet said in a Hockey India (HI) release. "Playing in a League, sharing a dressing room with players from various countries opens up your mind and provides you with multiple perspectives and ways of thinking. "All this was integral in the resurgence of Indian hockey and it ...

Delhi franchise named PR Sreejesh as Director of Hockey for HIL 2025

Legendary Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh was on Friday named the Director of Hockey in the Delhi franchise for the upcoming Hockey India League. SG Sports, Media and Entertainment (SGSE), part of the APL Apollo Group, has acquired the Delhi team, to be named Delhi SG Pipers, for the HIL, which is set to be revived after a gap of seven years. The corporate house has bought both the men's and women teams of Delhi. The league will be held in two venues -- Rourkela (men) and Ranchi (women) -- and will begin on December 28. While the men's competition will have eight teams, six sides will feature in the women's event, which is being held for the first time. The league will be played from December 28 to February 1. The sport's world governing body, FIH, has given a sanction of 10 years for HIL. The player auction for the league will be held here from October 13 to 15. A total of 10 franchise owners have come on board. Tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi is the CEO of the Delhi side. Having

Hockey India League: Vedanta acquires hockey team Kalinga Lancers

Vedanta Ltd on Friday announced acquisition of Bhubaneswar-based hockey team Kalinga Lancers ahead of Hockey India League (HIL). This acquisition reinforces the company's commitment to promoting sports in Odisha, a region where Vedanta has played a key role in socio-economic development for over two decades. The Kalinga Lancers, former HIL champions, were previously co-owned by Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL). Vedanta Aluminium now assumes full ownership. "With our acquisition of the Kalinga Lancers, we are investing not only in the team but also in the future of Indian hockey," Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Non-Executive Director, Vedanta Ltd and Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc said. Vedanta's focus will be on assembling a competitive team for the upcoming HIL season, while bolstering infrastructure, securing sponsorships, and exploring partnerships to strengthen the Lancers' position in the league. Vedanta operates an

Hockey India League set to return after seven-year hiatus in 2025

There will be eight teams in the men's division in the returning season of HIL, while the women's division is announced to have six teams in total

Men's Asian Hockey WC Qualifier: India beats Oman 12-2, loses to Pak 4-5

India will next face off against Malaysia at 1430 hrs IST and Japan at 1930 hrs IST on Thursday, August 31

The investment that laid down Indian hockey's road to Olympic bronze

Olympic success could mean uptick in corporate support as was seen during the brief Hockey India League

Indian men to finish 2020 in 4th position, women in 9th in FIH rankings

The Indian men and women hockey teams will finish 2020 in fourth and ninth positions, respectively, after a major part of the year was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Monday confirmed that the Belgium men's team and the Netherlands' women will finish the year at the top of the world rankings. In January, the world body introduced its new match-based model for calculation of world rankings, with the FIH Hockey Pro League matches that were played in early part of the year seeing regular fluctuations in standings before the outbreak of the global health crisis brought all sporting activities to a grinding halt in March. According to a statement issued by the FIH, the "brief but wonderful return" of the competition between September and November saw further exchanges of points between the men's and women's national teams of Belgium, Germany, Netherlands and Great Britain. In the men's FIH world rankings, reigning world and European ...

Hockey India League later in 2019, no franchise can withdraw, say officials

Future of HIL is up for deliberation at Hockey India's Annual General Meeting on July 24

Hockey India League: Pass, trap, shoot

Shakya Mitra takes a look at some of the key aspects that could shape this season