Hockey
Men's HIL Auctions 2024: Five Indian players who can fetch the most money
Here is the list of five Indian players who can make the teams break their bank at the men's auctions of the Hockey India League.
With the return of the Hockey India League, the excitement of having to see quality hockey stars in the country is increasing.
Before the Hockey India League was folded last time, Indian legends Sardar Singh, Gurbaj Singh, PR Sreejesh, and VR Raghunath were the most sought-after players.
However, with the seven-year break, a new crop of Indian players has become the superstars and will be on the priority list of the eight teams.
The Bridge picks five Indians who can result in teams breaking the bank for the next two days:
#1 Harmanpreet Singh
Popularly known as 'Sarpanch (Chief)' among the hockey circles, Harmanpreet Singh is the bonafide superstar and face of Indian hockey.
Double Olympic medalist and the current Indian skipper Harmanpreet is one of the best drag flickers in the world and is known to produce magical moments in crunch situations.
Apart from his drag-flicking abilities, Harmanpreet is a brilliant defender and can launch accurate aerial balls from anywhere in the field.
Getting Harmanpreet in the team will also mean a fair bit of fan following and engagement for the franchise. The Indian skipper will be the most sought-after Indian player in the auction without any doubt.
Harmanpreet has played in the Hockey India League previously with Dabang Mumbai (2014-2017) where he was awarded upcoming player of the tournament in the 2017 season.
#2 Hardik Singh
Harman's number two in the national team, Hardik Singh has become a midfield engine in the past two years and is the heartbeat of the Indian team.
Once a ball-boy at the Hockey India League, Hardik Singh played for Punjab Warriors sharing the dugout with the likes of Sardar Singh, Tristan Clemons, and Mink van der Weerden.
However, now on the opposite side of the spectrum with two Olympic medals and a lot of experience, Hardik is expected to lead one of the teams in the league.
#3 Manpreet Singh
The ever-present Indian veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh will be back on the auction table of the Hockey India League 2024 like 2013 auctions when he was a 21-year-old youngster.
Manpreet was brought by Ranchi Rhinos to play alongside his idol Moritz Furste of Germany.
Now with two Olympic medals and more than 400 international caps under his belt, Manpreet will be one of the leadership options available in the auction for the teams.
A versatile player who has a sharp eye for spaces and can play at multiple positions, Manpreet is expected to be one of the highest-earning Indian players at auction.
#4 Krishan Bahadur Pathak
India's number one goalkeeper at the moment after PR Sreejesh's retirement, Krishan Bahadur Pathak is a brilliant custodian who has honed his skills under Sreejesh for several years.
The 27-year-old from Punjab is having his moment under the sun as the Indian team's lead goalkeeper now and is expected to spark a bidding war as the best Indian goalkeeper in the auction.
#5 Vivek Sagar Prasad
At 24 years of age, Vivek Sagar Prasad is a double Olympic medalist and is on his way to becoming India's midfield maverick.
The youngster from Madhya Pradesh is considered a child prodigy and has already become one of the mainstays in the Indian midfield along with the likes of Manpreet and Hardik.
Rated highly by foreign and Indian coaches, Vivek will be another Indian player of much interest in the auction.
Honourable Mentions: Abhishek, Gurjant Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit
