The Hockey India League (HIL) 2024 auction brought plenty of excitement on its opening day, with franchises competing fiercely to secure top talent from both Indian and international players. Indian men’s team captain Harmanpreet Singh emerged as the most expensive player, being snapped up by Surma Hockey Club for a whopping ₹78 lakh.
With all eight franchises focused on assembling the best squads, the auction saw teams splurging on key Indian players, with Abhishek and Hardik Singh trailing close behind Harmanpreet as the top bids.
High Stakes for Indian Players
Following Harmanpreet’s significant bid, Abhishek became the second-most expensive player, bagged by Shrachi Raad Bengal Tigers for ₹72 lakh. Meanwhile, UP Rudras secured Hardik Singh for ₹70 lakh, reflecting the high demand for Indian talent. Amit Rohidas and Jugraj Singh also found themselves in the spotlight, both being purchased for ₹48 lakh, while Hyderabad Storm secured Sumit for ₹46 lakh.
Foreign Players Attract Big Bids
Among foreign players, goalkeepers received substantial attention. Ireland’s star goalie David Harte was picked up by Tamil Nadu Dragons for ₹32 lakh, making him the highest-paid foreign player in the auction. Other top international keepers, such as Jean-Paul Dannenberg of Germany and Pirmin Blaak from the Netherlands, also saw significant bids of ₹27 lakh and ₹25 lakh, respectively. Belgium’s Vincent Vanasch went to Surma Hockey Club for ₹23 lakh.
Key Bids from Day 1 of the HIL Auction
Here are some of the notable bids from the first half of the HIL auction:
- Gurjant Singh – ₹19 lakh – Surma Hockey Club
- Mandeep Singh – ₹25 lakh – Team Gonasika
- Manpreet Singh – ₹42 lakh – Team Gonasika
- Sukhjit Singh – ₹42 lakh – Shrachi Raad Bengal Tigers
- Amit Rohidas – ₹48 lakh – Tamil Nadu Dragons
- Neelkant Sharma – ₹34 lakh – Hyderabad Storm
- Sanjay – ₹38 lakh – Kalinga Lancers
- Lalit Kumar Upadhyay – ₹28 lakh – UP Rudras
- Vivek Sagar Prasad – ₹40 lakh – Surma Hockey Club
- Jugraj Singh – ₹48 lakh – Shrachi Raad Bengal Tigers
Goalkeepers in High Demand
Goalkeepers were particularly sought after, with some of the best names from around the world fetching top bids. Notable purchases include:
- David Harte (Ireland) – ₹32 lakh – Tamil Nadu Dragons
- Jean-Paul Dannenberg (Germany) – ₹27 lakh – Hyderabad Storm
- Pirmin Blaak (Netherlands) – ₹25 lakh – Shrachi Raad Bengal Tigers
- Vincent Vanasch (Belgium) – ₹23 lakh – Surma Hockey Club
- Suraj Karkera (India) – ₹22 lakh – Team Gonasika
- Pawan (India) – ₹15 lakh – Delhi SG Pipers
The auction continues, with more exciting bids expected as teams look to finalize their rosters ahead of the new season. With top Indian and international players commanding such high bids, this season of the Hockey India League promises to be an intense battle on the field.
