Page 9 - Indian Hockey Team

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.

Major Dhyan Chand Stadium gets a facelift to ahead of IND-GER hockey series

Once it chronicled Mir Ranjan Negi's epic fall from grace, Dhanraj Pillay's artistic stick-work and Sandeep Singh's muscular drag-flicks but in the past decade or so, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium seemed resigned to the fact that its glory days as epicentre of Indian hockey were a thing of past. The two-match Test series against Germany on October 23 and 24 seems like the revival of Delhi's hockey spirit which has gone dormant in the past 10 years. Odisha government's seminal decision to help Indian hockey find its home in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela was a major factor in the shift of momentum, which can swing once again if the fans show up. Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey is hoping for a good turnout considering the growing popularity of hockey after two consecutive Olympic bronze medals. "Earlier domestic tournaments used to be held in Delhi in a very spectacular manner. I too made my international debut in Delhi through Indira Gandhi Gold Cup 1995. A large number of ...

Sreejesh's knowledge will benefit junior side: India hockey captain

Indian men's team skipper Harmanpreet Singh believes that PR Sreejesh's extensive knowledge of modern hockey will greatly benefit the junior side as he takes on his new role as coach. Sreejesh's new innings as coach will begin when India take on Japan on October 19. "The amount of experience Sreejesh has, especially the knowledge when it comes to modern hockey because he has just retired, is a big plus point he has," Harmanpreet told PTI Video in an exclusive interaction. "When he shares it with the team then the youngsters will get to know, learn from his experiences, which will eventually help the team perform better. "But he has just joined two days back and has not spent much time with the side, but I have a lot of faith on him that he will manage it, the way he used to do with us and will enable the youngsters to enjoy success like he did," he added. On Sreejesh's future as a senior coach, he said: "You'll have to ask him about that. I believe he can do it, but coaching is a

Kept benchmark high so as youngsters could work hard to get there: Sreejesh

Indian hockey legend PR Sreejesh has no doubt in her mind that the void he left after his retirement will eventually be filled though he has set a high benchmark for the younger goalkeepers to emulate. The 36-year-old Sreejesh retired following his final outing during the Paris Olympics in August, as the national team finished with a bronze medal under the guidance of head coach Craig Fulton. While his retirement has brought a massive void in Indian hockey's goalkeeping department, Sreejesh is confident that there will eventually be someone to fill it up. "There will be someone who will fill my shoes, for sure. After Sachin (Tendulkar), we all felt that, okay, there would be a gap. But Virat Kohli came, and he filled it. So, it goes the same way," Sreejesh told reporters on the sidelines of the 'Road to Brisbane 2032' event here on Saturday. "I kept the benchmark on a high note so that these guys could work hard to get there and to perform better than that. So, I always believe the

Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2024: Nitish Kumar unveils logo and mascot

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday unveiled the logo and mascot for the Women's Asian Champions Trophy-2024, which will be held in Rajgir from November 11-20. The mascot, named 'Gudiya', is inspired by the state bird of Bihar, Sparrow. The Women's Asian Champions Trophy-2024 is a joint venture of Hockey India and the Bihar government and will be held at the newly developed Rajgir Hockey Stadium. The state cabinet recently sanctioned Rs 10 crore to Hockey India for the purpose. Six countries, including India, China, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, are participating in the championship. The hockey stick in Gudiya's hand is the symbol of the hockey competition and the goalkeeper's glove in the hand and the defensive posture reflect the strategic qualities of alertness, a statement issued by the chief minister's office here said. A ball kept nearby for the whole team reflects the necessity of playing together with sportsmanship. This competition is for women hoc

Amir Ali to lead India's Jr Hockey team with coach Sreejesh in SJC

Amir Ali has been named captain, with Rohit as his deputy, in the 18-member junior hockey squad for the Sultan of Johor Cup that will mark the first assignment for head coach PR Sreejesh in Malaysia from October 19. India will begin their campaign against Japan on October 19, followed by matches against Great Britain (October 20), hosts Malaysia (Oct 22), Australia (Oct 23) and New Zealand (Oct 25). The top two teams will make the final slated for October 26. Defender Amir Ali and forward Gurjot Singh were part of the senior team that defended their title at the Asian Champions Trophy in Moqi, China. Amir seamlessly filled in for the injured defender Sanjay during the tournament, while Gurjot led the forward line, showcasing immense potential. "The Sultan of Johor Cup is an important tournament in our calendar as always. The tournament will serve as a litmus test for the team ahead of the Men's Junior Asia Cup Muscat 2024 in November this year," captain Ali stated in a Hockey Indi

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 ...

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

Impression of Indian hockey team conceding late goals has changed: Iqbal

The general impression that the Indian hockey team concedes late goals has changed with its second successive Olympic bronze medal and the Harmanpreet Singh-led side is one of the best in the world in all aspects, feels the legendary Zafar Iqbal. Iqbal, a gold medallist at the 1980 Moscow Olympics and captain of the 1982 Asian Games silver-winning Indian team, is hoping for an uptick in the game's profile in the country after the bronze medals in the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. "The general impression before was that India is a team that concedes goals late in games but that has changed now, we are one of the best teams in the world in all aspects," Iqbal said in a Hockey India release. "Back in our era, hockey had an immense following. Events like the Nehru Gold Cup, Asian Games and other international matches drew a lot of supporters and palpable excitement always followed the huge stadiums we played in." Talking about the India vs Germany matches to be played at the Major Dhyan Ch

FIH nominates skipper Harmanpreet Singh for Player of the Year award

Skipper Harmanpreet Singh, who powered India to a second successive bronze medal in hockey at the Olympics in Paris, was on Saturday nominated for the FIH Player of the Year Award. The 28-year-old ace drag-flicker, who was the top scorer at the Paris Olympics with 10 goals from eight matches, had previously won the award twice in a row from 2020-22. "It is a great honour to be nominated for the FIH Player of the Year Award again," the Indian defender stated in a Hockey India release. "While I am elated to be named among some of the best players in the world, I would like to acknowledge that it would not have been possible without the support of my team. "All the goals I have scored in the FIH Hockey Pro League, and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are because the team created those goal-scoring chances for me," he added. Harmanpreet has been nominated along with the Dutch duo of Thierry Brinkman and Joep de Mol, Hannes Mller of Germany and Zach Wallace of England. All international .

PR Sreejesh says every save he made in Paris Olympics was for his team

Retired hockey legend PR Sreejesh manned the Indian goal like a wall and made some crucial saves during the country's bronze-winning campaign at the recent Paris Olympics and he said each one of his efforts was made for the entire team and the nation. The 36-year-old Sreejesh, who retired from the game after a glorious 18-year international career, was nominated for the prestigious FIH Men's Goalkeeper of the Year Award 2024 after playing a pivotal role in India's campaign in the Olympics. "Every save I made in that tournament was not just about me; it was about the entire team and our country's support," Sreejesh said. "Being nominated for this award is a reflection of our collective spirit and the incredible journey we've had together. I hope my career inspires future generations to chase their dreams on the hockey field." The nomination is the latest in a series of accolades for the legendary goalkeeper, often referred to as the 'Great Wall of Indian Hockey.' In what was his fi

Asian Champions Trophy 2024 final HIGHLIGHTS: India beat China 1-0, lift record-extending 5th title

Asian Champions Trophy 2024 HIGHLIGHTS: Pakistan defeated Korea 5-2 in the 3rd/4th place playoff to finish 3rd in the tournament

Asian Champions Trophy 2024: India vs China final live time, streaming

On Tuesday, India will aim to secure their record-extending fifth Asian Champions Trophy title, while China will hope to secure their first

Asian Champions Trophy 2024 Semifinals HIGHLIGHTS: India beat Korea 4-1 to play China in finals

Asian Champions Trophy 2024 semis Highlights: The three time champions Pakistan will play 2021 champions Korea in the third place match on Tuesday.

Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2024 final, live match timings, streaming

The grand finale of the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy will be played on Tuesday, September 17.

Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2024 semifinal full schedule, time, streaming

India cruised to the playoffs, followed by Pakistan in a topsy-turvy league stage. Korea secured their semifinal berth dramatically, rescuing a very late 3-3 draw against Malaysia

Asian Champions Trophy 2024: India vs Korea semi-final live time, streaming

The defending champions India will hope to continue their winning streak against South Korea and book their place in the finals of the Asian Champions Trophy for a record-extending sixth time

Asian Champions Trophy: In-form India clear favourites vs Korea in semis

Maintaining a clean slate, favourites India will fancy their chances when they take on a below-par but unpredictable Korea in the semifinals of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament here on Monday. Paris Olympics bronze medallist India have been in rollicking form in the tournament so far, registering five wins out of five league matches. The Harmanpreet Singh-led side started their campaign with a 3-0 win over hosts China and then trounced Japan and Malaysia 5-1 and 8-1 respectively. India then beat Korea 3-1 before eking out a narrow 2-1 win over arch-rivals Pakistan. It has been a commanding performance from the Indians as they excelled in every department be it forwardline, midfield or defence. The most promising part of India's performance in the league stages has been the form of the strikers. Scoring field goals was a major concern in Paris but here the young forwardline comprising Sukhjeet Singh, Abhishek, Uttam Singh, Gurjot Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal and others