Sizzler: Wegnez was the costly buy on day two.
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A few shocking rejections and some tough bidding wars for youngsters was the template on day two of the Hockey India League (HIL) auction for the men even as the womenโs competition was forced to be cut to a four-team event, at least for the first year, on Monday.
While Belgian midfielder Victor Wagnez was the most expensive buy on the day, going for โน40 lakh to JSW-owned Soorma Hockey Club, compatriot Arthur van Doren went for โน32 lakh and Dutchman Thierry Brinkman for โน38 lakh. But the overseas players who went unsold, including some big names, outnumbered the ones that got lucky.
These included Germanyโs 2023 World Cup-winning captain Mats Grambusch and experienced English forward Sam Ward besides a host of Australians, including veteran Eddie Ockenden and Jack Welch. There were some shocking omissions among senior Indian players too, including the likes of S.V. Sunil and S.K. Uthappa, key members of the Indian team not so long ago.
More surprisingly, the likes of Yuvraj Walmiki and Chinglensana Singh โ both still active on the domestic circuit as players while also being national selectors โ too went unsold; so did Ramandeep Singh and Dharamvir Singh. A closed bid at the end of the auction, if sought by the franchises, might still hold hope for some of them but with most of the teams having completed their full quota of 24 players, the chances are slim.
In contrast, there was hectic bidding for a few youngsters with Moriangthem Rabichandra becoming the highest bid of the lot, going for โน32 lakh to Kalinga Lancers. The likes of junior World Cup captain Uttam Singh and stars Angad Bir Singh and Rajendra too went for much more than their base price โ Uttam, with a starting price of โน5 lakh, was snapped up by Tamil Nadu for โน29 lakh while Angad and Rajendra, starting at a modest โน2 lakh each, went for โน26 lakh and โน23 lakh respectively, almost 13 times their base value.
The uncertainty around the womenโs competition ever since Hockey India managed to name only four teams while announcing the franchises was confirmed as the officials revealed that the first season will feature only four. Hyderabad Toofans, which has a menโs team too, and BC Jindal Group will come on board from Season 2.
Top buys (day two):
Indians: Moriangthem Rabichandra (โน32 lakh, Kalinga Lancers); Angad Bir Singh (26, Lancers); Maninder Singh (26, Soorma HC); Mohd. Raheel Mouseen (25, TN Dragons); Rajinder (23, Hyderabad Toofans)
Foreigners: Victor Wegnez (Bel, 40 โ Soorma HC); Thierry Brinkman (Ned, 38 โ Lancers); Tomas Domene (Arg, 36 โ Delhi SG Pipers); Arthur van Doren (Bel, 32 โ Lancers); Arthur de Sloover (Bel, 30 โ Toofans).
Published – October 14, 2024 11:18 pm IST
