Hockey India League Player Auction LIVE Updates, Day 2: Lot 4 Underway, Victor Wegnez Sold To Soorma For 40L

Australia's Aran Zalewski goes to Kalinga Lancers for 27 lakh, while his compatriot Tom Craig is bought by Tamil Nadu Dragons for 20 lakh. And with that, the action moves to Indian midfielders. Akashdeep Singh is sold to UP Rudras for 20 lakh, Mohd. Raheel Mouseen heads to Tamil Nadu Dragons for 26 lakh, while Ashis Kumar Topno goes unsold. Jaskaran Singh is then sold to the Rarh Bengal Tigers for 13.5 lakh and Dharamvir Singh finds no takers. Bids unfolding thick and fast here as 23-year-old Indian midfielder Moringthem Rabichandra is snapped up by Kalinga Lancers for 32 lakh.

Belgian midfielder Victor Wegnez is acquired by Soorma Hockey Club for INR 40 lakh. Before him, Timothy Cross of Ireland, Spain's Rafael Vilallonga and Thomas Habif of Argentina all go unsold.

And the second day action begins with Lot 4, comprising international midfielders. Australia's Lachlan Sharp goes to Rarh Bengal Tigers for INR 18 lakh, Germany's Thies Prinz is sold to Tamil Nadu Dragons for 18 lakh and Great Britain’s Zachary Wallace is bought by Hyderabad Toofans for 26 lakh. Thomas Sorsby of Great Britain then goes unsold, while Australia's Willott Ky is bought by Delhi SG Pipers for 10.5 lakh.

In all, 54 players were sold yesterday, which means 138 slots will be filled today. Players are divided into three base price categories: INR 2 lakh, INR 5 lakh and INR 10 lakh based on the value they selected for themselves. With more than 550 men having registered for the auction, expect cut-throat bidding for the remaining slots on offer.

The day 2 of HIL auction begins shortly, at 10am IST. It will be broadcast on DD Sports as well as Hockey India League's newly-launched YouTube channel. The men's auction will conclude today, followed by the women's player auction on Tuesday.

Here are the top five buys from Day 1. Three Indians and two Europeans on the list.

• Harmanpreet Singh (IND) - Soorma Hockey Club - Rs 78 lakh.

• Abhishek (IND) - Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers - Rs 72 lakh.

• Hardik Singh (IND) - UP Rudras - Rs 70 lakh.

• Gonzalo Peillat (GER) - Hyderabad Toofans - Rs 68 lakh.

• Jip Janssen (NED) - Tamil Nadu Dragons - Rs 54 lakh.

Indian skipper Harmanpreet Singh stole the show on Day 1 with Punjab's Soorma Hockey Club signing him up for a massive sum of Rs 78 lakhs, the highest so far in auction and that too by some distance.

Hello and welcome to the second day of the Hockey India League 2024-25 player auction.