Hockey India League men’s preview: Full squads analysis and key players
Hockey India League men’s preview: Full squads analysis and key players
As the teams prepare to battle it out for just over a month in Rourkela and Ranchi in a double round-robin format, followed by the knockouts, Sportstar previews how they look like ahead of the season opener on December 28.
Soorma Hockey Club, based in Punjab, went big on defenders, spending Rs 1.6 crore — the most by any team at the auction. Indian skipper Harmanpreet Singh fetched top money and will bring plenty of goals to the team with his ace drag flicking skills.
Soorma has experience throughout its core, with Vincent Vanasch, Harmanpreet, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Victor Wegnez, Jonas de Geus and Gurjant Singh. Belgian Jeroen Baart, who previously coached his country’s Under-21 boys and in the top division of the Dutch league, has been tasked with coaching duties.
While most teams spent big on drag flickers, the Bengal Tigers made India forward Abhishek Nain its top pick. Colin Batch, who has coached Australia to international success, will helm the coaching reins.
The team was dealt a cruel blow when goalkeeper and Paris Olympic gold medallist Pirmin Blaak withdrew from the tournament due to injury. The management shelled out a premium on drag flicker Jugraj Singh and Rupinder Pal Singh (Rs 12.5 lakh), with the latter having retired from internationals in 2021.
The 34-year-old has been playing club hockey in the Netherlands and will be keen to show people back home that he’s still got it. They also have top international stars Sam Lane (New Zealand), another penalty corner expert, and Belgians Florent van Aubel and Gauthier Boccard, along with Sukhjeet Singh.
UP Rudras boasts a Netherlands-heavy core strengthened with Paris Olympics gold medallists, with the women’s team coach Paul Van Ass overseeing the tactics. While Lars Balk and Floris Wortelboer were acquired through the auction, Dutch midfielder Seve Van Ass has withdrawn, replaced by Great Britain’s James Albery.
The attack will be led by GB’s Sam Ward, Belgium’s Tanguy Cosyns and India’s Lalit Upadhyay. The midfield is also strong with the likes of India’s Hardik Singh and Akashdeep Singh, alongside New Zealand’s Kane Russell.
Hyderabad outbid the Pipers and Lancers to secure Germany’s Gonzalo Peillat for Rs 68 lakh, making the drag flick expert the most expensive overseas player this edition.
Head coach Pasha Gademan, Germany’s assistant coach during its 2023 World Cup triumph and silver medal finish at the Paris Olympics, believes Peillat’s experience and skill will be key to holding the team together both on and off the pitch.
The team has made smart acquisitions, including Arthur De Sloover, Nilakanta Sharma, Sumit Walmiki, Nic Woods, Zachary Wallace, and Dominic Dixon.
Tamil Nadu Dragons has assembled a star-studded team, with Jip Janssen, Amit Rohidas, Thomas Sorsby, Tom Craig and Blake Govers being the standout players. India forward Selvam Karthi adds local flair to the team, with Australia’s Nathan Ephraums complementing him in attack. The Dragons have three world-class drag flick options in Janssen, Rohidas and Govers, acquired for a combined Rs 1.29 crore.
Rohidas is also regarded as one of the world’s finest first-rushers in penalty corner defence. Head coach Rein van Eijk believes the HIL be a valuable stepping stone for Karthi in his career. Van Eijk has also earmarked defender Anand Y and midfielder Chandan Yadav from the Indian junior team to make an impact.
Delhi SG Pipers has assembled a solid team with the addition of Indian stars Shamsher Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Raj Kumar Pal and Varun Kumar. However, the standout pick at the auction was Rohit, the Indian men’s junior team defender, who fetched Rs 40 lakh — just two lakhs less than Shamsher. The 20-year-old Rohit is a fearless first-rusher in penalty corners and a powerful drag flicker, poised to take the league by storm.
Former Indian men’s team coach Graham Reid will be at the helm, with recently retired PR Sreejesh named as mentor.
Team Gonasika has a strong Indian core in midfielder Manpreet Singh, forward Mandeep Singh, defender Birender Lakra, and goalkeeper Suraj Karkera. Forward Tom Boon’s withdrawal will sting but the team has roped in exciting French forward Timothee Clement as his replacement.
Gonasika has as many as five players from the United Kingdom in its squad with Ollie Payne being a strong candidate for the goalkeeping spot.
The team has invested heavily in next generation of Indian stars, acquiring junior men’s hockey team captain Amir Ali (Rs 34 lakh), forward Araijeet Singh Hundal (Rs 42 lakh), midfielder Vishnukant Singh (Rs 20 lakh), and defender Anmol Ekka (Rs 9.2 lakh), for a total outlay of Rs 1.05 crore.
Defending champion Lancers is the only club returning from the previous iteration of the HIL. The squad is studded with international captains, including Australia’s Aran Zalewski, the Netherlands’ Thierry Brinkman, and Belgium’s Arthur Van Doren.
The core is heavily European, featuring Brinkman, Enrique Gonzalez, and the Belgian trio of Van Doren, Antoine Kina, and Alexander Hendrickx. India goalkeeper Krishan Pathak provides security at the back, while Hendrickx will pose a big threat with his drag flicks. The Mark Hager-coached side will be a top contender for the title.
