 "Harmanpreet Singh became the most expensive player at the HIL player auction after Soorma Hockey Club acquired him for Rs 78 lakh. Reuters")
The much-awaited Hockey India League (HIL) Player Auction ahead of the 2024-25 season took place for both men and women between 13 October and 15 October in New Delhi. While the men’s auction took place across two days on 13 and 14 October, the women’s auction was held on a single day, on 15 October.
The Hockey India League is being revived this year after a seven-year hiatus. Eight teams will compete in the men’s tournament whereas four teams will participate in the women’s competition. The season is scheduled to run between December 2024 and February 2025.
Hockey India League auction | Full list of sold players
The eight teams that will compete in the men’s tournament are —Delhi SG Pipers, Kalinga Lancers, Hyderabad Toofans, Rarh Bengal Tigers, Soorma Hockey Club, Tamil Nadu Dragon, Team Gunasika and UP Rudras. Odisha Warriors, Soorma Hockey Club, Rarh Bengal Tigers and Delhi SG Pipers are the teams in the women’s competition.
Let’s now take a look at some key takeaways from the HIL Player Auction:
Soorma Hockey Club grab Olympic bronze medallists
One of the major talking points from the HIL auction is the fact that the Haryana-based Soorma Hockey Club have built a squad not just merely of match-winners, but Paris Olympics bronze medallists. India captain Harmanpreet Singh , midfielder Vivek Sagar Prasad (Rs 40 lakh) and forward Gurjant Singh (Rs 19 lakh) are some high-profile names who found takers, with Soorma HC going for all three of them.
Harmanpreet, in fact, attracted a bidding war between all eight teams before Soorma acquired Harmanpreet for Rs 78 lakh, the costliest player of the men’s auction. Soorma also got the services of former India women’s team captain Savita Punia for Rs 20 lakh.
Youngsters who found teams
It wasn’t just the experienced campaigners who made headlines at the HIL Player Auction. The youngsters too had their say. England’s Zach Wallace went to Hyderabad Toofans for Rs 26 lakh, Selva Karthi of India went to Tamil Nadu Dragons for Rs 24 lakh and Arshdeep Singh (Rs 11.5 lakh) found takers in Hyderabad Toofans.
Among women, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers got Lalremsiami for Rs 25 lakh, Sunelita Toppo and Sangita Kumari were signed by Delhi SG Pipers for Rs 24 lakh and Rs 22 lakh respectively.
Udita the costliest buy in landmark women’s auction
The upcoming season will see women’s competition take centre-stage for the first-time ever in the Hockey India League. Indian defender Udita Duhan fetched the highest bid during the women’s auction, with Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers securing her services for Rs 32 lakh. Netherlands’ Yibbi Jansen (Rs 29 lakh) was the costliest overseas but after she was signed up by Odisha Warriors.
In the last-minute, teams were also interested in going for unsold players, whose base prices were reduced after approval from Hockey India. Madhuri Kindo (Rs 3.40 lakh, Odisha Warriors) and Deepika Soreng, Rs 2.20 lakh, Soorma HC) were among the unsold players who later found teams.
Gonzalo Peillat the top overseas buy among men
Germany’s Gonzalo Peillat ended up being the most expensive overseas player among men. Hyderabad Toofans got him for Rs 68 lakh. Jip Janssen of the Netherlands was the next costliest overseas player after Tamil Nadu Dragons got him for Rs 54 lakh.
Gonzalo, a Rio Olympics gold medallist with Argentina, switched nationalities to Germany in 2022 following a dispute with the Argentineans. He represented Germany at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he scored four goals. One of those came against Argentina in the quarter-final clash.
Janssen, on the other hand, guided Netherlands to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, while scoring five goals. He ended up as the top goal-scorer for the Dutch side.