Hockey India League 2024/25 Player Auction Highlights
The Hockey India League (HIL) Player Auction for the 2024/25 season kicked off with a bang in New Delhi. A total of 54 players, including 18 international stars, were sold on the first day, with franchises spending a whopping 16 crores 88 lakhs 50 thousand rupees.
Top Buys of the Day
Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh emerged as the most expensive player, being acquired by Soorma Hockey Club for 78 lakh. Gurjant Singh, also picked by Soorma Hockey Club, was the first player to be auctioned, fetching 19 lakh.
Abhishek was the second-highest purchase, joining Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for 72 lakh, while Hardik Singh was bought by UP Rudras for 70 lakh. Germany’s Gonzalo Peillat was the priciest international player, acquired by Hyderabad Toofans for 68 lakh. The Netherlands’ Jip Janssen was picked by Tamil Nadu Dragons for 54 lakh.
Other Notable Purchases
Other significant acquisitions included Amit Rohidas and Jugraj Singh, both for 48 lakh, and Sumit for 46 lakh. Araijeet Singh Hundal was bought for 42 lakh. The Netherlands’ Lars Balk and Duco Telgenkamp were also among the top buys, with Balk going to UP Rudras for 40 lakh and Telgenkamp to Tamil Nadu Dragons for 36 lakh.
Goalkeepers in Demand
International goalkeepers also attracted attention, with Ireland’s David Harte, Germany’s Jean-Paul Danneberg, and the Netherlands’ Pirmin Blaak fetching significant bids.
Franchise Budgets
| Franchise | Remaining Budget (lakh) |
|---|---|
| Hyderabad Toofans | 204.00 |
| Soorma Hockey Club | 162.00 |
| Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers | 144.50 |
| Delhi SG Pipers | 181.00 |
| Tamil Nadu Dragons | 196.00 |
| UP Rudras | 206.00 |
| Kalinga Lancers | 257.00 |
| Team Gonasika | 161.00 |
Doubts Revealed
Harmanpreet Singh -: Harmanpreet Singh is a famous Indian field hockey player. He is known for his skills as a defender and drag-flicker, which means he is very good at scoring goals from penalty corners.
Hockey India League -: The Hockey India League is a professional field hockey league in India. Teams from different parts of India compete against each other, and players from around the world participate.
Auction -: An auction is an event where items or players are sold to the highest bidder. In the Hockey India League auction, teams bid money to buy players for their team.
Crores -: A crore is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to ten million (10,000,000). In the context of the auction, it refers to the total money spent by teams to buy players.
Soorma Hockey Club -: Soorma Hockey Club is one of the teams in the Hockey India League. They bought Harmanpreet Singh for their team in the auction.
Gonzalo Peillat -: Gonzalo Peillat is a well-known field hockey player from Germany. He was the most expensive international player bought in the Hockey India League auction.
Franchises -: In sports leagues, franchises are teams that are owned by different people or companies. Each franchise has its own budget to buy players for their team.
