Hockey India League Player Auction Highlights: Harmanpreet Singh And Abhishek Shine As Day 1's Most Expensive Buys

The HIL auction begins at 2:30pm IST on Sunday, and will be broadcast on DD Sports as well as Hockey India League's newly-launched YouTube channel. The men's auction will continue till Monday, followed by the women's player auction on Tuesday.

As many as 400 domestic and more than 150 overseas men’s players have registered for the auction. Over the next two days, each team will have a purse of INR 4 crore to pick players that have been categorized under three base price slabs: INR 2 lakh, 5 lakh and 10 lakh. Read all about it in our report HERE.

Well-known sports anchor Archana Vijaya will be the auctioneer for the men's auction today and tomorrow. Arjun Pandit, a veteran sports presenter, will be leading the women’s auction on Tuesday.

The first lot of players to be up for sale on the auction will include India's bronze-medallists at the Paris Olympics. The creme de la creme of Indian hockey, including much-in-demand skipper Harmanpreet Singh and top players like Hardik Singh, Abhishek, Amit Rohidas will be part of the round. Stay tuned for the bids, which are coming up now.

The action finally gets underway after all the teams being felicitated. The first player to go under the hammer is India forward Gurjant Singh, with a base price of INR 10 lakh. Bidding begins, and there is interest all around. The Soorma Hockey Club (Punjab) ends up buying him for INR 19 lakh.

Next up is Indian forwardline star Mandeep Singh. UP Rudras and Hyderabad Toofans initiate interest, but Team Gonasika snoop in and eventually acquire Mandeep for INR 25 lakh.

Manpreet Singh is third in Lot 1. The former Indian captain is heavily sought after and post a series of bids, goes to Team Gonasika for INR 42 lakh.

Sukhjeet Singh is up next, and is much in demand straight away. It is now the turn of Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers to make their first purchase. They snap him up for INR 42 lakh.

The high-profile Indian players continue to come out. Amit Rohidas, the backbone of India's defence and their star first rusher, is up for grabs now. Sure enough, the bids start flying and amid interest from Hyderabad Toofans and others, Tamil Nadu Dragons acquire Rohidas for INR 48 lakh.

Indian midfielder Nilakanta Sharma is next up and it is Hyderabad Toofans who make their first buy, buying Nilakanta for INR 34 lakh.

Defender Sanjay is next in Lot 1, and he is snapped up by Kalinga Lancers, who have been acquired by Vedanta Limited, for INR 38 lakh.

India forward Lalit Kumar Upadhyay is up for grabs now, and ends up getting sold to UP Rudras for INR 28 lakh.

Vivek Sagar Prasad, who was India's vice captain in the recent Asian Champions Trophy title triumph, is on offer next. The 24-year-old is much sought after and ends up with Soorma Hockey Club for INR 40 lakh.

Indian midfield mainstay Hardik Singh is up next. A bidding war has erupted for him and the amount crosses the INR 50 lakh mark for the first time in the auction. But the battle continues and the UP Rudras have the last laugh, buying Hardik for INR 70 lakh.

And the big fish is now in the market. India captain Harmanpreet Singh is on offer, and there is a renewed excitement in the room. The bids cross the 50-lakh mark with ease, and continue. And they overtake the 70-lakh mark set by Hardik too, as the franchises clamour for the star drag-flick expert. Soorma Hockey Club is in the lead at 78 lakh, and wins the battle. Harmanpreet Singh goes to the Punjab-based team for the highest price spent on a player so far.

Midfielder Sumit is next up, and after a mini tussle, goes to Hyderabad Toofans for INR 46 lakh.

Abhishek Nain, a bronze medalist from the Paris Olympics, joins Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for ₹72 lakh in the Hockey India League 2024-25.

Indian defender Jugraj Singh has been sold to Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for ₹48 lakh.

Indian goalkeeper Krishan B. Pathak is up next on the auction table.

Vedanta Kalinga Lancers signs goalkeeper Krishan B. Pathak for ₹32 lakh. The talented keeper will join the squad as they prepare for the upcoming season of the Hockey India League.

Shamsher Singh has been roped in by Delhi Pipers for ₹42 lakh, marking the team’s first acquisition of the auction.

Jarmanpreet Singh is now on the auction table, attracting attention from several teams eager to bolster their rosters for the upcoming Hockey India League season.

Jarmanpreet Singh, a significant member of the bronze medal-winning Indian squad at the Paris Olympics, will join Delhi SG Pipers for the Hockey India League 2024-25. The defender was acquired by the team for ₹38 lakh.

Australian goalkeeper Andrew Charter is the first player to go unsold in the Hockey India League 2024 players' auction. He is joined by fellow Australian goalkeeper Benjamin Rennie and Ireland's James Carr, who also failed to secure a bid.

Ireland goalkeeper David Harte has been acquired by Tamil Nadu Dragons for ₹32 lakh.

German goalkeeper Jean Paul Danneberg has joined Hyderabad Toofans for ₹27 lakh.

Belgium goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch has been sold to Soorma Hockey Club for ₹23 lakh.

After most of the overseas goalkeepers went unsold, the lot for international players has ended. Now, it's time for Indian goalkeepers, starting with a base price of ₹10 lakh.

Suraj Karkera has been sold to Team Gonasika for ₹22 lakh.

The first session concluded, and we’re taking the first break of the day. The auction will resume in 15 minutes.

Harmanpreet Singh is currently the highest-paid pick, joining Soorma Hockey Club for ₹78 lakh. Stay tuned for live coverage.

• Gurjant Singh - 19L - Soorma

• Mandeep - 25L - Gonasika

• Manpreet - 42L - Gonasika

• Sukhjeet - 42L - Bengal

• Amit Rohidas - 48L - Tamil

• Nilakanta - 34L - Hyderabad

• Sanjay - 38L - Kalinga Lancers

• Lalit Upadhyay - 28L - UP Rudras

• Vivek Sagar Prasad - 40L - Soorma

• Hardik - 70L - UP Rudras

• Harmanpreet - 78L - Soorma

• Sumit - 46L - Hyderabad

• Abhishek - 72L - Tigers

• Jugraj - 48L - Tigers

• Krishan - 32L - Kalinga

• Shamsher - 42L - Delhi

• Jarmanpreet - 38L - Delhi

• Raj Kumar Pal - 40L - Delhi

• David Harte - IRE GK - BP 10 - 32L - Tamil Nadu Dragons

• Jean Paul Danneburg - GER GK - 27L - Toofans

• Oliver Payne - GBR GK - 15L - Gonasika

• Pirmin Blaak - NED GK - 25L - Tigers

• Tomas Santiago - ARG GK - 10L - Delhi

• Vincent Vanasch - BEL GK - 23L - Soorma HC

• Suraj Karkera - 22L - Gonasika

• Pawan - 15L - Delhi

• Andrew Charter - AUS GK - BP 10

• James Carr - IRE GK - BP 10

• Benjamin Rennie - AUS - BP 10

• Dominic Dixon - NZ GK - BP 10

• Edgar Reynaud - FRA GK - BP 10

The auction resumes after a rather long break, and it's time for the overseas forwards to take the spotlight.

Netherlands forward Jeroen Hertzberger has been picked up by Team Gonasika for ₹21 lakh. Alvaro Iglesias joins UP Rudras for 12.5 L. Promising start for the overseas' forwards.

Jacob Anderson, the 27-year-old Australian forward, goes unsold, along with fellow Australians Joel Rintala and Jack Welch, who also fail to secure bids.

Netherlands forward Duco Telgenkamp, a 22-year-old, has been signed by Tamil Nadu Dragons for ₹36 lakh.

After overseas forwards it’s time for Indian forwards. These players have the base price of 10 lakhs. 

Boby Singh Dhami, a 22-year-old forward, has been sold to Kalinga Lancers for INR 20 lakh.

Shilanand Lakra, the 25-year-old Indian forward, has been sold to Hyderabad Toofans for ₹21 lakh, while 31-year-old Ramandeep Singh remains unsold.

Dilpreet Singh, the 24-year-old Indian forward, has joined Kalinga Lancers after being acquired for ₹34 lakh.

The rising young forward, Selvam Karthi, from Tamil Nadu, has been sold to Tamil Nadu Dragons for ₹24 lakh.

Rising drag-flick specialist Araijeet Singh Hundal has been signed by Team Gonasika for ₹42 lakh.

It’s time for the overseas defenders now. Great Britain's defender Liam Sanford goes unsold, along with Argentine defender Juan Catan, who also fails to secure a bid.

Dutch defender Lars Balk has been signed by Up Rudras for ₹40 lakh. One of the highest bid so far for an overseas player.

Australian player Hayden Beltz has been sold to Ruhr Bengal Tigers for ₹13 lakh.

New Zealand's Kane Russell has been signed by UP Rudras for ₹30 lakh, marking the team's second foreign defender acquisition.

Star Australian defender Jeremy Hayward has joined Soorma Hockey Club for 42 lakhs INR. His addition is expected to bolster the team's defensive lineup as they prepare for the upcoming season.

The young and explosive Dutch defender Jip Janssen has been signed by Tamil Nadu Dragons for INR 54 lakh.

Gonzalo Peillat, the explosive drag-flick specialist and defender from Germany, has been signed by Hyderabad Toofans for ₹68 lakh INR. This acquisition marks him as the most expensive foreign signing of the day in the Hockey India League auction.

The young Indian defender Amir Ali goes to Team Gonasika for 34 lakh INR.

Mandeep Mor goes to Kalinga Lancers for 19 lakh INR, while Varun Kumar joins Delhi SG Pipers for 34 lakh INR.

Veteran Indian drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh has been signed by Rarh Bengal Tigers for 12.5 lakh INR.

The 29-year-old Indian defender Gurinder Singh has been sold to the Soorma Hockey Club for INR 11 lakh.

Former Indian hockey captain and Olympian bronze medallist Birendra Lakra goes to Team Gonasika for 10 lakh.

The 20-year-old Indian defender Rohit as been signed by the Delhi Pipers for 40 lakh. 

Surender Kumar will play for the UP Rudras in the Hockey India League 2024-25 season

Team Gonasika sign the 18-year-old Indian defender Yogember Rawat for 11 lakh.

1. Hyderabad Toofans - INR 204.00 lakh

2. Soorma Hockey Club - INR 162.00 lakh

3. Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers - INR 144.50 lakh

4. Delhi SG Pipers - INR 181.00 lakh

5. Tamil Nadu Dragons - INR 196.00 lakh

6. UP Rudras - INR 206.00 lakh

7. Kalinga Lancers - INR 257.00 lakh

8. Team Gonasika - INR 161.00 lakh

Best Indian Player - Harmanpreet Singh (78 Lakh)

Best Overseas Player - Gonzalo Peillat (68 Lakh)

Best Under-21 Player - Araijeet Singh Hundal (42 Lakh)

And that wraps up Day 1 of the Hockey India League Player Auction. We’ll return with live action for Day 2 tomorrow morning. Until then, good buy! (Pun intended)