The Hockey India League (HIL) is ready to make its comeback after a long wait of 7 years
Satish Sharma
An exciting hockey season will be unfolding in coming December month for Odisha players (both men and women) and more for the hockey lovers of the state.
The Hockey India League (HIL) is ready to make its comeback after a long hiatus of seven years (last held in 2017), with an 8-team men’s league and a 4-team women’s league format.
Hockey India saying goodbye to older system of multiple venues have endorsed only two venues Rourkela and Ranchi for all the matches. The women’s league final is scheduled for 26th January 2025 in Ranchi and the men’s final to be held on 1st February 2025 in Rourkela.
After 2023 Men’s World Cup Championship, Rourkela’s iconic Birsa Munda Hockey stadium will provide state’s hockey lovers to witness world’s best players in action. This has created huge excitement among hockey lovers. A die-hard hockey fan Harjit Singh said, “We are eagerly waiting for HIL where we will see the best and upcoming junior players in action”.
All teams were allowed to assemble a squad of 24 players including a maximum of eight foreign players. Teams were also mandated to include at least four junior hockey players in their 24 list.
Kalinga Lancers in men’s and Odisha Warriors in women’s are in fray for the championship. Both teams participated in the auction to form the teams. But what scene emerged post auction have left Odisha fans shell shocked. The composition of Kalinga Lancers, sans Odisha star players, has proved heartbreak for hockey lovers.
Kalinga Lancers’ failure to rope in Odisha’s biggest hockey star Amit Rohidas, Neelam Sanjeep Xess, Dipsan Tirkey, Shilanand Lakra, veteran Birendra Lakra and many young talents like Amandeep Lakra, Anmol Ekka, Sunit Lakra (14.1 lakh) Sunil Jojo (2 lakh), Sudeep Chirmako (12 lakh) and Anand Lakra (5 lakh) in its team have surprised many.
All the teams focused to rope in their home-grown star players with whatever the price be. Punjab team went for Harmanpreet Singh, UP Rudras for Lalit Upadhyay even Tamil Nadu Dragons for Karthi Selvam. But Kalinga Lancers did not show any interest in Odisha’s star players. As a result, Odisha’s stars went into the pocket of other teams. The biggest hockey star of Odisha, Amit Rohidas, was purchased by Tamil Nadu Dragons for Rs. 48 lakhs.
Shilanand Lakra (21 lakhs) and upcoming drag flicker Amandeep Lakra (9 lakh) was bought by Hyderabad Toofans. Neelam Sanjeep Xess (17 lakh), veteran Birendra Lakra (10 lakh), Dipsan Tirkey (6.60 lakh) and junior international Anmol Ekka (9.20 lakh) were grabbed by Team Gonasika (Ranchi). Junior International Sudeep Chirmako (12 lakh), Sunil Jojo (2 lakh) and Prashant Barla (7.5 lakh), went to UP Rudras, Sunit Lakra (14.1 lakh) was bought by Soorma Hockey Club (Punjab).
Amusingly Kalinga Lancers preferred young defender Sanjay over Amit Rohidas for whom they paid Rs. 32 lakh. Kalinga Lancers bought some young local talents like Rosan Kujur (12.5 lakh), Mukesh Toppo (5 lakh) and Pratap Lakra (2 lakh).
Odisha’s women team – Odisha Warriors – have grabbed Olympian Deep Grace Ekka (10 lakh). It also bought current Senior India player Jyoti Chhatri (5 lakh), junior international Madhuri Kindo (goal keeper) (3.4 lakh) and Anjali Barwa (2 lakh). But Odisha’s rising star Sunelita Toppo was bought by Delhi SG Pipers (24 lakh) whereas Ajmina Kujur (2 lakh) went to Soorma Hockey Club (Haryana – Punjab).
First hockey international of Odisha Peter Tirkey expressing his dismay at Kalinga Lancers’ team composition raised valid questions, “When Amit Rohidas, Birender Lakra, Neelam Sanjeep Xess, Shilanand Lakra representing other teams will be playing against Kalinga Lancers at Rourkela, then Odisha supporters would be cheering for which team?”
Odisha has earned a reputation of being the biggest supplier of hockey players to the country. But in the current auction of HIL, hockey players particularly women players did not attract many buyers. There were no takers for former Olympians Sunita Lakra, Namita Toppo, Lilima Minz and many upcoming junior international players like Mariana Kujur, Dipi Monika Toppo, Nikita Toppo, Sujata Kujur, Ashmita Barla went unsold.
Abhay Patnaik, ex Sundargarh district sports officer felt disappointed by the attitude of Kalinga Lancers’ representatives at the auction. “Odisha has been producing skillful and hardworking players. But they neglected our players,” he remarked.
Kalinga Lancers had won the last edition of HIL in 2017. Now it would be interesting to see how Kalinga Lancers would perform in front of its own spectators at Birsa Munda stadium. Certainly, Kalinga Lancers will have full support of people but will KL deliver? That would be million-dollar question. The response is expected by 1st February, 2025.
Odia businessman Tarini Prasad Mohanty, has purchased another hockey team Team Gonasika (Ranchi). So, Odisha hockey lovers will have one more option to support HIL.
(The author is a Sr Sports Journalist from Rourkela. Views expressed are personal)
