The Hero Hockey India League (HIL) mini auctions wrapped up with plenty of drama in New Delhi on Wednesday. Franchises hustled in a lively, behind-closed-doors session to build their teams for the 2026 season, snapping up over 100 men’s players under a tight Rs 4 crore salary cap. Each squad ended up with a smart blend of seasoned international stars, rising Indian juniors, and key specialists like goalkeepers and drag-flickers.
In a big shake-up, the HIL Governing Council stepped in to run the former UP Rudras franchise until a new owner steps up. They’ll compete as the HIL Governing Council team this time around. The action involved eight franchises: HIL Governing Council, Hyderabad Toofans, JSW Soorma Hockey Club, Ranchi Royals, SG Pipers, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers, Tamil Nadu Dragons, and Vedanta Kalinga Lancers.
Bidding wars lit up the room for top talents. Australian midfielder Liam Henderson fetched the highest price at Rs 42 lakhs, heading to Vedanta Kalinga Lancers after beating out SG Pipers. Dutch defender Sander de Wijn sparked a frenzy between SG Pipers and Tamil Nadu Dragons, landing with the Dragons for Rs 36 lakhs. Fellow international Thies Prinz also went for Rs 36 lakhs to the HIL Governing Council.
Indian juniors stole the show too. Goalkeeper Vivek Lakra, starting at just Rs 2 lakhs, drew bids from several teams and shocked everyone by joining Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for Rs 23 lakhs. Midfielder Adrohit Ekka triggered a hot contest between JSW Soorma and Tamil Nadu, with the Dragons winning at Rs 11 lakhs. Forward Ajeet Yadav went to the HIL Governing Council for Rs 11.5 lakhs, while midfielder Sushil Dhanwar bolstered Tamil Nadu’s youth lineup at his base price of Rs 2 lakhs.
Other highlights included Australian forward Cooper Burns joining Vedanta Kalinga Lancers for Rs 34.5 lakhs after a close battle with SG Pipers. And in a feel-good moment, 14-year-old Ketan Kushwaha became one of the youngest picks, signing with Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for Rs 2.5 lakhs. Former Indian captain Rupinder Pal Singh, who led Shrachi to last season’s title, switched to SG Pipers for Rs 12 lakhs.
These HIL auctions showed franchises doubling down on homegrown talent—think juniors like Lakra, Ekka, and Kushwaha—while still chasing global firepower from players like de Wijn and Henderson. It’s all about that perfect mix to dominate on the field.
Now, with rosters locked in, teams gear up for the Hero HIL 2026 season. Here’s a quick look at the final men’s squads:
HIL Governing Council (formerly UP Rudras): Retained stars like Prashant Barla, Priyobarta Talem, Hardik Singh, Surender Kumar, and internationals such as Sebastian Dockier, Kane Russell, Tanguy Cosyns, and Sam Ward. New additions: Ajeet Yadav (Rs 11.5 lakhs), Thies Prinz (Rs 36 lakhs), Rahul Yadav (Rs 2 lakhs), Mohd Harris (Rs 2 lakhs).
Hyderabad Toofans: Kept their full original lineup intact, featuring juniors like Irengbam Rohit and Bikramjit Singh, plus internationals Gonzalo Peillat, Arthur de Sloover, and Zachary Wallace. No new buys.
JSW Soorma Hockey Club: Retained talents including juniors Sukhvinder and Pradip Mandal, veterans like Harmanpreet Singh and Vivek Sagar Prasad, and overseas players Vincent Vanasch, Jeremy Hayward, and Victor Wegnez. New buy: Jeetpal (Rs 3.2 lakhs).
Ranchi Royals: Held onto juniors like Amir Ali and Anmol Ekka, plus Manpreet Singh and internationals Timothee Clement and Tom Boon. New buys: Loick Luypaert (Rs 10 lakhs), Sam Lane (Rs 10 lakhs), Jack Waller (Rs 10 lakhs), Manmeet Singh Rai (Rs 2 lakhs), Ravneet Singh (Rs 5 lakhs), Ashish Purty (Rs 2 lakhs), and Ashish Purti (Rs 2 lakhs).
SG Pipers: Retained juniors like Rohit and Ankit Pal, along with Jarmanpreet Singh, Shamsher Singh, and internationals Willott KY, Tomas Santiago, and Jacob Draper. New buys: Rupinder Pal Singh (Rs 12 lakhs), Bram Van Battum (Rs 11 lakhs), Roman Duvekot (Rs 10 lakhs).
Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers: Kept juniors Gursewak Singh and internationals like Hayden Beltz, Gauthier Boccard, and Christopher Ruhr, plus Indian stars Jugraj Singh and Sukhjeet Singh. New buys: Vivek Lakra (Rs 23 lakhs), Tom Grambusch (Rs 10 lakhs), Parmod (Rs 5 lakhs), Ketan Kushwaha (Rs 2.5 lakhs), Ajinkya Jadhav (Rs 2 lakhs).
Tamil Nadu Dragons: Retained juniors Arun J and Prince Deep Singh, defenders like Amit Rohidas, and goalkeepers David Harte and Thomas Sorsby. New buys: Sander de Wijn (Rs 36 lakhs), Adrohit Ekka (Rs 11 lakhs), Sushil Dhanwar (Rs 2 lakhs), K Selvaraj (Rs 2 lakhs).
Vedanta Kalinga Lancers: Held onto juniors Rohit Kullu and Deepak Pradhan, plus Krishan B Pathak, Dilpreet Singh, and internationals Alexander Hendrickx and Arthur van Doren. New buys: Liam Henderson (Rs 42 lakhs), Cooper Burns (Rs 34.5 lakhs), Bobby Singh Dhami (Rs 10 lakhs), Jed Snowden (Rs 10 lakhs), Craig Marais (Rs 10 lakhs), Amit Toppo (Rs 2 lakhs), Sunil PB (Rs 2 lakhs).
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
