Hockey India League News

This year's edition of the HIL will be held between January 25 and February 23. Defending champions Ranchi Rhinos take on Uttar Pradesh Wizards in their opening game.

The year 2013 was a mixed bag for Indian sports. The positives saw the rise of a new star in Pusarla Venkata Sindhu who would finish with a bronze medal at the world championships. The more gloomy side saw India's image suffer as the International Olympic Committee suspended the Indian Olypmic Association and almost expelled them if fresh elections were not held.

The launch of the Hockey India League (HIL), the rise and fall of colts, an overhaul of the coaching set-up and women overshadowing their male counterparts -- 2013 was an eventful roller-coaster ride for Indian hockey.

India's star midfielder Sardar Singh says that junior hockey players were finding it hard to cope up with the pressure of playing in front of home crowd.

Hockey India League chairman Narinder Batra said the association with YES BANK is a fantastic, long-term partnership for the League.

The Uttar Pradesh franchise bagged the Amritsar forward for USD 81,000 for the second season of the Hockey India League in 2014.

HIL chairman Narinder Batra said the bid would give the franchisees the chance to buy new players to replace permanent withdrawals and complete their squads.

HIL vice-president Pratap Satpathy said that Dhyan Chand was the greatest hockey player of all times and he was instrumental in taking India in international sport map.

Bjorn Isberg, 50, has conducted many hockey events over recent years in his capacity as tournament director including London Olympics in 2012, three FIH Champions Trophy tournaments.

Promising forwards such as Ramandeep Singh and Affan Yousuf have signed up for the auction, to be held on November 18.

Hockey India (HI) Secretary General and HIL chairman, Narinder Batra said players from 12 countries have made themselves available for the auction.

The salary cap for each Franchisee in the inaugural season was USD 650,000(Rs 3.96 crore) which is now increased to USD 725,000 (Rs 4.42 crore).

The auction will take place in New Delhi on November 18, nearly two months ahead of the second season of HIL.

The simmering tension on the Indo-Pak border earlier this year spilled over to the sporting arena when Hockey India decided to send back all the nine Pakistani players taking part in the HIL following protests over the killing of Indian soldiers.

Negre was in New Delhi for the sixth Franchise workshop, which was attended by representatives from each of the five HIL franchises.

Simmering tension on the Indo-Pak border over the killing of Indian soldiers and subsequent protests by right-wing organisations had forced Hockey India to send back the Pakistani players without playing a single match from HIL's inaugural season earlier this year.

Five teams -- Delhi Wizards, Ranchi Rhinos, Uttar Pradesh Wizards, Jaypee Punjab Warriors and Dabur Mumbai Magicians -- competed in this year's HIL, which was originally planned as a six-team affair, but the sixth outfit went unsold.

Faulds worked as a Competitions Manager for the FIH Champions Trophy Men 2012 in Melbourne, International Super Series 2012 in Perth and was also involved in Australian Youth Olympic Festival this year as Competitions Director.