Team India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the new franchisee owner of Hockey India league’s (HIl) team ‘Ranchi Rays’ in association with ‘Sahara India Pariwar.’ The announcement was made by the Ranchi boy himself at a city-based hotel on Saturday.
Quoting the moment as “special”, he assured to provide adequate infrastructure and coaches for State players under the national game. “We will groom under-16 and under-19 players of the State in the next one to two years. Our main aim is to develop the region and open an academy where talents can be nurtured,” he said.
“I have got the franchisee with the support of Sahara India Pariwar, one of the prime promoters and patron of sports in India,” added the Ranchi boy.
The new Ranchi franchise will be known as ‘Ranchi Rays’ from third edition of HHIl. HIl 2015 is scheduled from January 22 to February 22. Ranchi’s astro-turf stadium will probably have five matches of the league along with the final.
The previous Ranchi franchise known as Ranchi Rhinos, who were the inaugural champions of HHIl, was scrapped following a distrust between previous owners Patel-PS Group and Uniexcel Group and league organisers Hockey India (HI).
Interestingly, the Indian team captain was wearing a jersey number 7 of the Ranchi Rays team with Mahi written at the back. He wears the same ‘number jersey’ in cricket as well.
As far as the new squad for the Ranchi Rays team is concerned, Dhoni is in talks with Hockey India on retaining the players who have been associated with the Ranchi Rhinos team since the first edition of HIl in 2013. “If the former players of the old franchisee team are retained, locals can easily associate with them. I will try to rope in deserving local players as well. It all depends on the auction process,” he pointed out.
According to Hockey Jharkhand sources, dates for the auction are yet to be finalized but it is likely to be conducted soon.
MS Dhoni, who is also the co-owner of league’s lucknow team ‘ Uttar Pradesh Wizards’ with Sahara and co-owner of Indian Super league’s Chennaiyin FC, felt the ‘league format’ promotes a lot of excitement with a large participation from youngsters.
During his school days, he had once played the role of ‘goalkeeper’ in hockey but stopped playing the game after he hurt a person. “I have the natural inclination towards sports so I feel good to be associated with any kind of sports,” he said.
HIl chairman Narinder Batra highlighted on the advancement of HIl wherein reputed corporate and sports promoters are coming together to take Indian hockey to a new level. Ranchi is known among the best venues for the HIl matches with a huge crowd witnessing the game.
Speaking on co-owning Ranchi Rays, Abhijit Sarkar, head-corporate communications, Sahara India Pariwar cum director-Sahara Adventures Sports limited informed the ‘financial deal’ regarding the franchisee is restricted within Dhoni and Hockey India fraternity.
Prominent State hockey players Ashunta lakra (Hockey Jharkhand vice-president cum former Indian Women’s Hockey captain), Manohar Topno, Birendra lakra, Pushpa and Sushma apart from Hockey Jharkhand president Bhola Nath Singh and Hockey India CEO Elena Norman were present on the occasion.