HOCKEY MAY have fetched six consecutive Olympic gold medals for the country in the past, but the scene is different now. With the Australians and Europeans taking the lead, India is no more considered a champion on the world stage. The Hero Hockey India League (HIL) hopes to change that. As legendary Dutch midfielder Teun De Nooijer said, HIL can be a ?game-changer? for the sport in India.
The HIL, which began on January 25, is in its second edition this year and boasts of six teams ? Uttar Pradesh Wizards, Mumbai Magicians, Punjab Warriors, Ranchi Rhinos, Delhi Waveriders and Kalinga Lancers. The money this year is big too. Ramandeep Singh was bought by Uttar Pradesh Wizards for $81,000, the highest amount paid in the league for a player. In the auction, the franchises bought 49 players from a pool of 154 players, spending a total of $1.37 million.
To attract young talent, a lot of importance has been given to cash awards this year. The winning team will take home R2.5 crore, the runners-up will win R1.25 crore and the team that secures the third place will take away R75 lakh. The player of the tournament will get R25 lakh and the player with the maximum goals will have a chance to win the ?Airtel Maximum? goals award and R10 lakh in cash. Let?s take a look at the teams.