Among the 49 players sold at the Hero Hockey India league auction held here on Friday, young striker Ramandeep Singh emerged as the dark horse fetching a price of USD 81,000 (approximately ` 50,55,210) to become the highest-paid player in the league, moving past his Uttar Pradesh Wizards teammate and Dutch legend Teun de Nooijer’s price of $87,400 (`48,07,000 approximately) who was bought last year.
Ramandeep had scored a goal on debut during the Asia Cup and was also instrumental in India winning the Sultan of Johor Cup, scoring six goals. Coaches and experts rate him as a talented playmaker and that seems to have propelled the Punjab boy who had a base price of $2,600.
HIl’s new team Kalinga lancers bagged its squad of 24-members during the auction and the team owned by the joint partnership of Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) and Mahanadi Coalfields limited (MCl) bought experienced New Zealand mid-fielder Ryan Archibald (280 caps) for $71,000.
Out of the total 154, the list of 49 players who were sold in the bid includes 28 Indians and 21 overseas players. Apart from the lancers’ 24-member team, defending champion Ranchi Rhinos bought one player, Dabur Mumbai Magicians picked 11 players, Uttar Pradesh Wizards bought four players, Jaypee Punjab Warriors fetched five players and Delhi Waveriders got four players.
Archibald’s price was the second highest during the auction and the highest among the internationals.
The lancers will have Kalinga Stadium in Bhubneswar as their home ground. National team chief coach Terry Walsh will head the support staff which includes former Delhi Waveriders coach AK Bansal as Assistant coach and former Indian skipper Dilip Tirkey as Mentor.
Bansal’s former side Waveriders will be coached by former Indian coach Cedric D'Souza.
Among other major buys, another young forward Nikin Thimmaiah also went to Sahara-owned UP Wizards for $59,000, a similar price bagged by Australian mid-fielder Trent Mitton who will be part of Dabur Mumbai Magicians. Young defender and dragflicker Gurjinder Singh went to Mumbai outfit with a price of $56,000.
Gurjinder’s role will be crucial as icon player and veteran dragflicker Sandeep Singh was traded to Jaypee Punjab Warriors. National team assistant coach MK Kaushik will take charge of the Mumbai team in place of legendary Australian Ric Charlesworth.
All the above mentioned Indians are part of the team which will feature in the Junior World Cup. The auction also witnessed two out-of-favour veterans Prabhjot Singh and Prabodh Tirkey returning to limelight.
While striker Prabjhot was bagged by Magicians with a price of $46,000 and Prabodh was fetched by lancers for $25,000. In other developments, HIl chairman Narinder Batra told reporters that Jayppe-owned team will shift its base to Mohali instead of Jalandhar.
Also, Batra said that the Pakistan Hockey Federation didn’t give No Objection Certification (NOC) to its players who are part of HIl.
Total money spent by all the franchises was $1.37 million.