Franchises assemble robust men’s squads for 2024/25 season

Hockey India League Player Auction, Day 2:

Victor Wegnez (40 lakh to Soorma Hockey Club) emerged as the costliest player on Day 2, while Moriangthem Rabichandra (32 lakh to Kalinga Lancers) was the top Indian buy

Khel Today Bureau

New Delhi: The Hockey India League Player Auction 2024/25 for the men’s competition was successfully conducted in New Delhi on 13th and 14th October 2024. All eight franchises assembled robust squads for the upcoming season, scheduled to take place in Rourkela later this year.

On Day 2 of the auction, overseas players fetched significant bids, with Belgium’s Victor Wegnez (sold for 40 lakh to Soorma Hockey Club) becoming the costliest buy. Other top overseas buys included the Dutch Captain Thierry Brinkman (38 lakh) and Belgium’s Arthur Van Doren (32 lakh), sold to Kalinga Lancers, while Moriangthem Rabichandra (32 lakh to Kalinga Lancers) and Maninder Singh (26 lakh to Soorma Hockey Club) were notable Indian buys on Day 2.

Young players with a base price of 2 lakh also made merry at the auction, with Angad Bir Singh going to Kalinga Lancers for 26 lakh and Rajinder to Hyderabad Toofans for 23 lakh.

Soorma Hockey Club
Ankush – 5 lakh
Sunit Lakra – 14.1 lakh
Jashandeep Singh – 2 lakh
Harish Somappa Mutagar – 2 lakh

Delhi SG Pipers
Thokchom Kingson Singh – 2.5 lakh
Manjeet – 10.3 lakh
Adarsh G – 2 lakh
Iktidar Ishrat – 2 lakh

Hyderabad Toofans
Maico Casella (ARG) – 10 lakh
Irengbam Rohit – 2 lakh
Mukul Sharma – 2 lakh
Akshay Ravindra Avhad – 5 lakh

Kalinga Lancers
Nicholas Bandurak (GBR) – 5 lakh
Rohit Kullu – 2 lakh
Deepak Pradhan – 2 lakh
Gursahibjit Singh – 6 lakh

Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers
Thounaojam Ingalemba Luwang – 3 lakh
Jasjit Singh Kular – 6 lakh
Ali Khan – 6 lakh
Atal Dev Singh Chahal – 3 lakh

Tamil Nadu Dragons
S.Senthamizh Arasu – 6 lakh
Dhilipan M – 5 lakh
Pruthvi Gm – 5 lakh
Arun J – 3.6 lakh

Team Gonasika
Nikkin Thimmaiah Chendanda – 13 lakh
Uthappa Kushalappa Sannuvand – 13 lakh
Sunil Vitalacharya Somwarpet 10 lakh
Yashdeep Siwach – 9 lakh

UP Rudras
Pankaj Kumar Rajak – 6.5 lakh
Sharda Nand Tiwari – 7.5 lakh
Prashant Barla – 7.5 lakh
Jobanpreet Singh – 7.5 lakh

Link to the full list of players sold and team squads at the HIL Player Auction 2024/25: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1z_El3RXj_HHPVK_VCzD3OP5l9vjb8u-VQkRDz4k2FEU/edit?usp=sharing

Earlier, on the opening day, all eight franchises spent heavily to acquire Indian Men’s Hockey team core players. Harmanpreet Singh, acquired by Soorma Hockey Club, emerged as the most expensive buy at the men’s HIL Player Auction. Abhishek became the second-most expensive buy, acquired by Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for 72 lakh, while Hardik Singh went to UP Rudras for 70 lakh.

Germany’s Gonzalo Peillat became the most expensive overseas player, bought for 68 lakh, along with the Netherlands’ Jip Janssen, acquired for 54 lakh by Tamil Nadu Dragons.

Link to the full list of players sold and team squads at the HIL Player Auction 2024/25: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1z_El3RXj_HHPVK_VCzD3OP5l9vjb8u-VQkRDz4k2FEU/edit?usp=sharing

The Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 Women’s Auction will take place on 15th October 2024, marking a major milestone in the world of hockey, showcasing the sport’s growth and the increasing prominence of women’s hockey.