HIL mini auction: Kalinga rope in Henderson, Vivek goes to Bengal
Hockey India announced it will manage UP Rudras for HIL 2026 after their withdrawal. A mini auction saw top overseas players fetch high prices
Skipper Hardik Singh and Co endured two uncertain nights after UP Rudras pulled out of the Hockey India League (HIL) on Monday citing financial unsustainability. Players of the Lucknow-based team had several questions — will they get to play the second season of HIL 2.0? Will they be put in the mini auction pool? Will they be paid the fee promised to them?
All those queries were answered on Wednesday after Hockey India (HI) announced that the HIL governing council will take over the operations of the team for HIL 2026 unless Hockey India (HI) finds a new franchise owner.
“The governing council will manage and run the new team’s affairs until a new franchise owner comes forward. The council remains open to discussions with interested parties who may wish to acquire the new franchise,” said a HIL statement. “This step has been taken to ensure that UP Rudras players participate in HIL 2026 and to maintain the competitive balance of the league.”
HI’s step will ensure that both the men’s and women’s leagues will have eight and four teams respectively, like last year despite three teams pulling out. Earlier, men’s outfit Team Gonasika and reigning women’s champions Odisha Warriors had withdrawn.
After sorting out the UP Rudras issue, HIL’s mini auction got underway at the HI headquarters here with overseas players coming out as the most expensive buys. With all teams more or less retaining the Indian men’s hockey team players, franchises expectedly spent big on overseas players.
Henderson costliest
Liam Henderson emerged as the most expensive buy of the day as the Australian midfielder was picked by Vedanta Kalinga Lancers for ₹42 lakh. Experienced Dutch defender Sander de Wijn was the joint second costliest player to get sold to Tamil Nadu Dragons for ₹36 lakh.
World Cup winner and Paris Olympics silver medallist Thies Prinz of Germany was also sold for ₹36 lakh to the team governed by the HIL governing council. Australian forward Cooper Burns was the third costliest player, going to Kalinga Lancers for ₹34.5 lakh.
Vivek Lakra was the most expensive Indian. Despite a base price of ₹2 lakh, the junior goalkeeper stunned the auction room as multiple franchises bid for him, eventually being sold to defending champions Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for ₹23 lakh.
While junior India forward Ajeet Yadav (base price ₹2 lakh) was bought by the HIL governing council team for ₹11.5 lakh, junior midfielder Adrohit Ekka was sold to the Tamil Nadu Dragons for ₹11 lakh.
Former India drag-flicker and Olympic bronze medallist Rupinder Pal Singh, who led Bengal Tigers to the title last season, was not retained by the defending champions, getting bought by SG Pipers for ₹12 lakh.
Over 100 players went under the hammer with the eight franchises having a salary cap of ₹4 crores to complete a squad of 20, four less players than last season. It is mandatory for teams to have a minimum of seven overseas players.
Having retained just 13, Kalinga Lancers had to purchase the most number of players at seven. Ranchi Royals bought six, Bengal Tigers five and both Tamil Nadu Dragons and HIL governing council four each.
New Delhi-based SG Pipers bought three while JSW Soorma Hockey Club bought only one. Runners-up Hyderabad Toofans was the only team which retained all 20 players and did not play a part in the mini auction.
Argentines take the cake
The afternoon session saw Argentine Agustina Gorzelany emerge as the costliest player in the women’s mini auction. The two-time Olympic medallist was signed by Bengal Tigers for ₹42 lakh out of the women’s team salary cap of ₹2 crore.
Compatriot and fellow two-time Olympic medallist Granatto Maria Jose was signed by Soorma for ₹34 lakh. Another Argentine, Valentina Raposo Ruiz de los Llanos was signed by Bengal Tigers for ₹30 lakh.
Midfielder Monika, who was unsold last season, emerged as the costliest Indian, getting sold to Bengal Tigers for ₹15 lakh after an intense bidding battle with SG Pipers.
Last season’s most expensive player at ₹32 lakh, Udita Duhan was not retained by Bengal Tigers as the India defender went to SG Pipers for her base price of ₹10 lakh.
Bengal Tigers had the biggest budget having retained only eight players to buy 12. SG Pipers and Ranchi Royals bought eight each while Soorma bought five players.
