Hockey India League player auctions: Harmanpreet Singh, Udita Duhan costliest buys

Hyderabad: Ace Indian drag flicker and Indian men’s hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh and Indian women’s team defender Udita Duhan emerged as the costliest picks in the Hockey India League player auctions that concluded in New Delhi on October 15.

Harmanpreet Singh will play for Soorma Hockey Club of Punjab and Haryana after the franchise acquired his services for INR 78 lakh while Udita was acquired by Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for INR 32 lakh.

The upcoming edition of the Hockey India League – with the women’s HIL making a start for the first time – will be held in Ranchi and Rourkela concurrently. The men’s edition will be played in Ranchi while the women’s edition will be played in Rourkela.

The men’s edition of the Hockey India League, being revived after a gap of seven years, will have eight teams while the inaugural edition of the women’s league will have four teams with two more teams slated to enter the fray from the second season onwards.

Harmanpreet said he was happy to have been picked up by a franchise from his home state. “I am elated that the Hockey India League is back and in marvellous fashion. I was on the edge of my seat when my name came up during the auction, mentally hoping and urging Sardar Singh to bid for me and I get to play for the Haryana-Punjab region. It was a great relief when Soorma Hockey Club finally landed me in the auction and I could not have been happier,” Harmanpreet said.

The Indian captain said he was happy with how the balance of the squad looks. “We have a very good-looking team at the Soorma Hockey Club and at the end of the auction, the owners and coaching staff have hit the ball out of the park. We have the perfect balance of experienced, big-name players and young players with the potential to become big names themselves,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Indian women’s team defender Udita said the advent of the Women’s Hockey India League is a turning point in women’s hockey in India. “Hockey India is breaking barriers and setting new standards by holding a Women’s Hockey India League at the same time as the men’s league. This will be a good opportunity to showcase our skills and grow as athletes by playing with players from different nationalities. All of us are eager to give our 100 percent,” Udita said after the player auction.

Udita was happy to have been picked by the franchise from Bengal. “I am happy to be the highest buy and I would like to thank the Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for putting their faith in me. They have formed an impressive team and I cannot wait to get on the pitch and aim to win the league,” she added.

The Hockey India League will start on December 28, 2024, and will go on till February 1, 2025, with the women’s final scheduled to be played on January 26, 2025.