 "Harmanpreet Singh captained India to the bronze medal in the Paris Olympics in August and also finished the leading goal-scorer in the tournament with 10 strikes. Reuters")
India men’s captain Harmanpreet Singh and vice captain Hardik Singh were among the top buys at the Hockey India League player auctions on Sunday, the two senior players breaching the Rs 70 lakh mark. While Ace drag-flicker Harmanpreet went to the JSW Sports-owned Soorma Hockey Club for Rs 78 lakh, his deputy Hardik joined UP Rudras for Rs 70 lakh.
The captain and the vice-captain were among the most sought-after players in the auction given the important roles that they had played in helping India win a second consecutive Olympic bronze in Paris in August as well as the Asian Champions Trophy in Hulunbuir, China last month.
Harmanpreet was the leading goal-scorer in the Paris Olympics with 10 goals and went past the 200-goal milestone in the Asian Champions Trophy. He was also named the ’ Upcoming Player of the Tournament’ in the 2017 edition of the Hockey India League, the last time the tournament had taken place, scoring six goals during the fifth edition.
“There could be nothing better for Indian hockey than the Hockey India League. It was a great learning experience the last time around and I am sure all hockey players are excited to take part in the League.
“It will be a great opportunity for the youngsters as well to rub shoulders with the best players from across the globe, observe the subtle differences in the way they think, the way they play and try to inculcate the good habits that they notice,” Harmanpreet told Hockey India recently.
Also featuring among the top buys of the day was 25-year-old Abhishek Nain, who went to Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for a sum of Rs 72 lakh. The Sonepat forward thus became the second-most expensive buy of the day after his bid crossed that of Hardik.
Senior midfielder Manpreet Singh, meanwhile, went to the Visakhapatnam-based Team Gonasika for Rs 42 lakh. Manpreet had captained India to a bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics and was also part of the Harmanpreet-led side that secured a second consecutive podium finish in Paris this year.
The HIL auction will take place from 13 to 15 October. While the men’s auction will take place during the first two days, the women’s auction will take place on the final day.
The Hockey India League returns after a seven-year absence, with Kalinga Lancers having won the last edition in 2017 after defeating Dabang Mumbai in the final in Chandigarh.
The league that is modelled after cricket’s Indian Premier League first took place in 2013 with Ranchi Rhinos winning the inaugural edition. From thereon, it would be an annual event until 2017, after which the league was put on hold for an extended period of time.