UP Rudras Assemble Star-Studded Team for HIL Season
The UP Rudras have formed a strong team for the upcoming Hockey India League (HIL) season. The team was finalized during a two-day men’s player auction in New Delhi. The 24-member squad includes 16 Indian players, with four juniors under 21, and eight international stars.
International and Indian Stars
The team boasts international players like Lars Balk, Floris Wortelboer, and Seve van Ass, who were part of the Dutch Olympic gold medal-winning team. Indian stars include Hardik Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhayay, and Simranjit Singh, all Olympic bronze medalists.
Coaches and Management Speak
Thomas Tichelman, co-coach, expressed excitement about the team composition, highlighting the blend of young and experienced players. Cedric D’Souza, technical director, emphasized the importance of team chemistry and leadership development.
Team Composition
The squad also features Belgian forward Tanguy Cosyns, Spanish defender Marc Recasens, and Indian midfielder Akashdeep Singh. Young talent like 18-year-old Manmeet Singh and Great Britain goalkeeper James Mazarelo are also part of the team.
Revamped League
Madhavkrishna Singhania, co-founder of Yadu Sports, expressed pride in the return of HIL, seeing it as a platform for players to showcase their talent and aim for future Olympic success.
UP Rudras Squad
| Indian Players | International Players |
|---|---|
| Hardik Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Simranjeet Singh, Manmeet Singh, Lalit Upadhyay, Gurjot Singh, Mohd Zaid Khan, Sudeep Chirmako, Surender Kumar, Priyobarta Talem, Sunil Jojo, Prashant Kumar Chauhan, Pankaj Kumar Rajak, Prashant Barla, Shardanand Tiwari, Jobanpreet Singh | Floris Wortelboer (Netherlands), Seve van Ass (Netherlands), Lars Balk (Netherlands), Kane Russell (New Zealand), Alvaro Iglesias (Spain), Tanguy Cosyns (Belgium), Marc Recasens (Spain), James Mazarelo (GB) |
Doubts Revealed
UP Rudras -: UP Rudras is a team that plays in the Hockey India League, which is a competition for hockey teams in India. ‘UP’ stands for Uttar Pradesh, a state in India.
HIL -: HIL stands for Hockey India League, which is a professional league for field hockey teams in India. Teams from different parts of India compete in this league.
Dutch Olympic gold medalists -: These are players from the Netherlands who have won gold medals in the Olympics for playing hockey. They are very skilled and famous in the sport.
Indian Olympic bronze medalists -: These are Indian players who have won bronze medals in the Olympics for playing hockey. They are among the best hockey players in India.
Thomas Tichelman -: Thomas Tichelman is a coach for the UP Rudras team. Coaches help players improve their skills and plan strategies for winning games.
Cedric D’Souza -: Cedric D’Souza is another coach for the UP Rudras team. He works with the players to make sure they play well together and win matches.
Olympic success -: Olympic success means winning medals or performing very well in the Olympic Games, which is a big international sports event held every four years.