Indian hockey team head coach Craig Fulton admitted that the penalty corner conversion rate was poor in their Asian Champions Trophy 2023 match against Japan but said that his team is not far away from perfect finishing.
Craig Fulton admitted that the Indian team's penalty corner conversion rate against Japan is concerning. Image- The Statesman
The Indian team could only manage one goal from 15 penalty corners against Japan and the match ended in 1-1. In the first match of Asian Champions Trophy 2023, India beat China by 7-2 and six goals came from penalty corners. Craig Fulton said in the press conference after the match, if he is not able to capitalize on the opportunities, then it is a matter of concern for every coach.
"It's every coach's concern if you are not converting your chances, whether corners or field goals. So, you always try to work out 'why?' and try to find a solution for that and combinations of players together." Fulton said at the post-match press conference.
Fulton praised Japan for their excellent defense and said, "It's not that we are not playing in our system. We are playing the way we want to play, and even tonight (Friday), we had two-three really good counters. We are one phase away from finishing the way we want to."
However, Fulton gave due credit to the Japanese for defending well and making India toil to attain success through corners and even field goals. "Japan defended and attacked well. They were moving well. At half-time, we regrouped. We showed in the following quarters how we got back into the game. They also defended their penalty corners well." "We didn't convert (our corners), but not for the lack of trying. It's a good lesson, and we will go again." He added.
It was also noted against Japan that the Indians mainly focused on gaining the penalty corners inside the box. They refrained from taking regular shots at the goal. However, Fulton backed his players to decide at that given point in time and was delighted that his side won several corners and creating enough goal-scoring chances.
Full list of nominations of Hockey India Annual Awards 2024
Hardik Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Sangita Kumari and Savita Punia have been nominated for the Hockey India Best Player Award in the Hockey India Annual Awards 2024.
Deepika has been nominated for the Asunta Lakra Award for Upcoming Player of the Year. Image | Hockey India
Hockey India have announced all the nominations for the 7th Hockey India Annual Awards 2024. The award ceremony will take place on 15th March in New Delhi with a record prize pool of approx INR 12 crores.
A total of 32 players have been nominated across eight categories for the award ceremony this year. Among all the awards, the Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year will be under the spotlight which will honour the best male and female hockey players of India.
PR Sreejesh has been nominated for the Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year 2024. Image | Hockey India
During the ceremony, India’s Olympic bronze medal-winning team will be felicitated, along with the Men’s and Women’s teams that won the Asian Champions Trophy in 2024. The Junior Asia Cup-winning Men’s and Women’s teams will also be honoured during the award ceremony.
The award ceremony will also celebrate 50th anniversary of the Indian Men’s Hockey Team’s historic World Cup victory on the same date in 1975—their first and only title to date.
The New Age Indian Hockey Stars: Who to Watch in 2025
These young athletes have already showed their potential on the international stage, contributing to India’s recent successes. Here’s a look at some rising stars in the Indian hockey setup who are poised to play important roles in the coming years.
The future of Indian hockey looks promising with a new generation of talented players making their mark at both junior and senior levels.
These young athletes have already showed their potential on the international stage, contributing to India’s recent successes.
Here’s a look at some rising stars in the Indian hockey setup who are poised to play important roles in the coming years.
Amir Ali | Defender
Amir Ali, the captain of the Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team, is set to make his mark in the upcoming Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25.
Bagged by Team Gonasika for a remarkable INR 34 lakh at the HIL auction, Amir’s rise from humble beginnings to the top of Indian hockey is nothing short of inspirational.
Amir, who is a defender, recently led the Indian Team to a Junior Asia Cup title win and now he is excited to play in the upcoming Hockey India League while aiming to continue his winning momentum.
Amir also played for the senior Indian team that won gold at the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy.
Rohit | Defender
Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team defender Rohit is quickly becoming one of the star defenders in Indian hockey.
He was an integral part of the 2023 Junior Asia Cup title-winning team, and the Bronze medal-winning team at the Sultan of Johor Cup 2023 and 2024 as well.
Playing for Hockey Chandigarh, Rohit has gained valuable international display, including at the 2023 FIH Junior World Cup.
Ankit Pal | Midfielder
Ankit Pal’s rise in Indian hockey is an inspiring story of resilience.
At just 19, the midfielder has already represented India at the 2023 Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup, where he made a significant impact.
Known for his ability to transition seamlessly between defence and attack, Ankit is a player with a bright future.
Mukesh Toppo | Defender
Mukesh Toppo of Odisha is a standout defender in Indian hockey.
Representing the Punjab Hockey Club Academy, Mukesh has made significant contributions to the Indian junior men’s team.
His defensive skills were on full display during important tournaments like the Sultan of Johor Cup and the Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup.
Abhishek Nain | Forward
Olympic bronze medal-winning forward Abhishek Nain has quickly established himself as a key forward in the Indian men’s hockey team.
He made his international debut in 2022 and has since played a crucial role in India’s success at the 2022 Asian Games and Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Having played 74 matches for India, Abhishek is no stranger to high-pressure situations.
Abhishek was the second-highest paid player in the revived Hockey India League auctions behind India captain Harmanpreet Singh (Rs 78 lakh), fetching Rs 72 lakh from Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers.
Vivek Sagar Prasad | Midfielder
Vivek Sagar Prasad from Bhopal is one of Indian hockey’s brightest stars.
At just 17, he became the second-youngest player to debut for India.
Since then, the creative playmaker has made over 100 international appearances for India.
He also led the Indian junior hockey team to a silver medal at the Youth Olympic Games 2018 in Buenos Aires.
In the same year, Vivek helped India win bronze at the Asian Games in Jakarta and silver at the Champions Trophy in the Netherlands.
The Indian hockey player was also declared the FIH Men's Rising Star of the Year in 2019.
Playing as a midfielder, Prasad was instrumental in India's bronze medal finish at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics.
He was named FIH Young Player of the Year in 2021.
In 2022, Vivek Sagar Prasad helped India win silver at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
In 2023, He was part of the Indian team that won gold medals at the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai and the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Sanjay Rana | Defender
The Indian Men's Hockey Team player Sanjay, who is a formidable defender and drag-flicker, made his olympic debut in Paris where the team clinched bronze.
Hailing from Haryana, Sanjay has already earned a reputation as one of India’s most dependable defenders.
He rose through the ranks at the Chandigarh Hockey Academy, making his international debut in 2019.
Sanjay made his senior team debut in June 2022 and quickly made an impact by helping India win the inaugural FIH Hockey5s.
He has also participated in major tournaments such as the 19th Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou, China, and the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023, where the team clinched Gold medals.
His performance in the FIH Odisha Hockey Men's Junior World Cup Bhubaneswar 2021 earned India a 4th position, and he secured a silver medal in the 3rd Youth Olympic Games 2018.
Amir Ali: A Journey From "tin briefcase" to Hockey Glory
Amir Ali, a 20-year-old hockey prodigy from Uttar Pradesh, went from helping his father in a garage to being sold for ₹34 lakhs in the Hockey India League.
The Indian Premier League is a high-profile, cash-rich league that not only opened doors for the national limelight but has provided financial stability to many undiscovered talents. Players getting selected and jumping out of their comforting sofas out of joy is a very usual scene each and every time the hammer hits after a high bid.
This league has religiously followed its slogan, "Yatra Pratibha Avsara Prapnotihi,” which translates to “Where talent meets opportunity.” Talents like Rinku Singh, T. Natarajan, YashasviJaiswal, Chetan Sakaria, etc. had received ample financial gain due to IPL participation.
However, there will be another name on the list of rejuvination: Amir Ali. Yes, of course, he is none from cricket but from another sport from India, Hockey, that once used to be popular. The 20-year-old young prodigy Amir, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, the state of Lalit Upadhyay, got his name in the Team Gonasika for a whopping 34 lakhs in the Hockey India League (HIL).
Who is Amir Ali?
When did Amir start his hockey journey? Idealy, it is at the age of 10, when a senior coach, Rashid Aziz Khan, noticed him at the KD Singh Babu Stadium. Khan used to mentor and groom the local young talents. Eventually, Ali resided in the same locality and got spotted.
Amil Ali, however, has another identity—a helper to his father, Tasawar Ali, in his garage. Senior Ali is a motorcycle mechanic, having a small "tin briefcase" in the name of a garage "outside the main gate of the Jal Nigam office.”
Recently, he has been named as the captain for the 18-member Indian junior team in the 12th edition of the Sultan of Johor Cup. The team coached by PR Sreejesh will tour Malaysia as the tournament will start on October 19.
India will begin their campaign against Japan on Oct 19, followed by matches against Great Britain (October 20), host Malaysia (October 22), Australia (October 23), and New Zealand (October 25). The top 2 teams will fight for the title on October 26th.
Not only that, he is a promising face and is present regularly in the senior camp as a face in the team rebuilding plan.
The father-son partnership; the understanding between "hunar" and passion.
Amir Ali, the eldest of five sibling, had to join his father's business. May be it was a career option to him, or out of responsibility as a son, he stood by his father, believing it was "not one man's job."
Like the engines, his schedule was heavy too. He juggled between three roles a day—a student in the morning, a mechanic in the afternoon, and a hockey player in the evening.
Like his hockey training started in 10, he started servicing bikes when he was just 12 years old. His father strongly believes, ‘yeh hunar hona chahiye.' The brothers must possess the skill, and they do so as all of them worked in the garage, as Amir does whenever he is at home.
However, Tasawar never forced Amir to simply stick with education and garage. Rather, he arranged money for Amir's training. There were times when senior Ali borrowed money to meet Amir's sporting needs, while Amir skipped training to help his father in the garage.
But then he got selected in Saifai's Major Dhyan Chand Sports College. This not only facilitated his training but also eased the burden of his father in terms of providing hockey supplies.
Once a fan, now a colleague to Manpreet Singh
Thanks to Amir Ali for letting the fans know that craze has no limitations when it comes to sport. Yes, cricket dominating the Indian periphery is an undisputed truth, but there are lads like Amir Ali who won't think twice before 12 killometers, at the age of 10, just to watch Manpreet Singh playing for Ranchi!
The young Manpreet Singh was a part of the Ranchi Rhinos in the first phase of the Hockey India League. Amir looked upon him like an idol and never missed any HIL match where Manpreet played.
The former captain and two-time Olympic bronze medallist Manpreet, however, is now a teammate to the young Amir Ali. The Visakhapatnam franchise had stolen Manpreet for Rs 42 lakh, with Amir at 34 lakhs next to him.
The Ray of Hope
Leagues are often criticized as an open platform of commercialization. And there is no point of denying the fact. But what's wrong if commercialization lets art get exposed?
There are thousands and lakhs of Amir Ali's who have restricted themselves within the garage. A heavy pay check will encourage many young talents to take up this sport as a means of profession. Even if they do not break out into the national team, the bench won't stay empty.
League will provide them with the required limelight needed for being the talk of the town, as seen in cricket and other sports. Unlimited competition will come into the scene, hoping talents like Amir Ali can cope with it.
Restraining IPL-like criticisms
At certain point, things look exaggerating when people will bring huge and heavy names like Dhyan Chand or his son Ashok Kumar; KD Singh Babu or Mohammad Shahid; Zafar Iqbal or RP Singh behind young Amir's name.
Critiques will try to put him in their shoes, ignoring his beautifully crafted cut with the stick while beating the opposition's press. They will set aside his tacking skills but will remind him about Lalit and other names his state gifted to the Indian Hockey.
That's what critics do—forcefully trying to fit a Rishabh Pant in M.S. Dhoni's shoes, not letting him be himself, and definitely crashing the self-confidence!
Or bringing back flashbacks of his family struggles—how a basic smartphone was beyond his prescribed luxary—similar to how every time someone drags Jaiswal's struggles every time he smashes a good fifty or a century!
Let Amir's talents prevail. Let his stick do the talking, not his upbringing or the whatever legacy his state holds.
Hockey India League Auction Starts Today With Over 1,000 Players; Here are the Details
Hockey India League auction kicks off today with 1,000+ players, including legends across men's and women's teams. Here are all the details you need to know.
The most anticipated Hockey India League auction will start today, October 13th, at New Delhi and will continue till October 15th. More than 1,000 players have registered for the auction. This includes more than 400 domestic players. and over 150 international players. Apart from the playing hockey players in India, retired stalwarts like Rupinder Pal Singh and Birendra Lakra.
The women's league has more than 250 domestic players and 70+ overseas players registered for the tournament.
Earlier, Hockey India had already mentioned the limited venues assigned for the tournament. These are: Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand, and Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, Odisha. Ranchi will host all the women's matches while the men's matches will take place in Rourkela.
Irespective of the men's and women's teams, each team can have a maximum of 24 players. Each team cannot bag more than 8 overseas players and should have 24 indigenous players that include at least 4 juniors.
How many teams will play the tournament?
The men's league will play 8 teams this year. The inaugural women's league will play 6 teams. The franchises that have confirmed their investment are:
Charles Group,
Yadu Sports,
JSW Sports,
Shrachi Sports,
SG Sports and Entertainment,
Vedanta Limited,
Resolute Sports,
Navoyam Sports Ventures Private Limited
Purse details:
Each of the eight men's team will have a budget of 4 crores, while the women's tean will have 2 crore for the procedure.
As per the auction procedure, there is no upper limit of expenditure on a particular player, but accumulating the required number of players must be done within the purse.
Base price:
Three categories have been induced according to the ranks of each player: Rs 2 lakh (for juniors), Rs 5 lakh, and Rs 10 lakh.
Where to watch the auction?
Hockey India League has initiated their own Hockey India League Youtube channel where they will live stream the entire lauction procedure.
Other than that, DD Sports will broadcast the auction live, from Sunday.
On the first day, ie, 13th October, the auction will start from 2 pm. On the next two days, the auction procedure will commence on and from 9:30 am. in the morning.
Hockey India League back after 7 years: All you need to know about it
After 7 years, the Hockey India League is making a comeback with a revamped format, with better planning and strong finance, and a dedicated women’s edition.
The two-month span from March onwards is a festival beyond the yearly almanac. TheIndian Premier League blocks all the mundane schedules for seasonal cricket fans. The grandeur it has and the craze and hype it injects into the audience are unmatched. The cash-rich league managed to get a brother in 2013, in Indian Hockey—The Hockey Indian League (HIL). Their motto was the same: popularizing the sport in the country.
The long-run execution fell short of finance and ceased in 2017. After seven long years, HIL is set to make a comeback. On Friday, October 4, Hockey India will inaugurate their HIL 2.0, having Women's Hockey their first HIL!
Hockey India League 2.0
It is a resurgence, rather than a revamp of the previous edition of the Hockey Premier League, with better planning and steady finance.
The IPL started after the 2007 T-20 World Cup win. This version of HIL is nothing but a by-product of two back-to-back Olympic bronzes and a gold in the Asian Games. HI has announced that the HIL will start with initially 8 teams in the men's and 6 in the women's edition.
A total of 10 franchise owners have come on board.
For the men's event, franchises that came forward are:
Chennai- Charles Group,
Lucknow- Yadu Sports,
Punjab- JSW Sports,
WestBengal- Shrachi Sports,
Delhi- SG Sports and Entertainment (team name: Delhi SG Pipers)
Each franchise will build a 24-player (men and women each) squad. Each team will have a mix of 16 Indian players, a mandatory inclusion of four junior players, and a maximum of eight international players.
To make the pre-tournament phases more scintillating, the auction procedure has been added to it. Three categories have been induced according to the ranks of each player: Rs 2 lakh (for juniors), Rs 5 lakh, and Rs 10 lakh.
The auction will take place between Oct 13 and 15.
However, the tournament will be restricted to venues only. Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand, and Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, Odisha. Ranchi will host all the women's matches while the men's matches will take place in Rourkela.
Photo credit: TOI
The main reason behind limiting it to two stadiums is finance and the craze.
Finance
According to the Times of India, a huge sum of Rs 3,640 crore will be invested for Hockey Indian League purposes for the coming 10 years. HI will chip in some 112 crore each year, mainly on HL's title sponsor and media rights.
A few sources informed that HI has promised to contribute a total of Rs. 1,120 crore for the coming ten years for the swift perpetration of the revamp.
The franchises will lay out around Rs 18 crores on each of the total 14 teams (men and women), each year, which translates into Rs 252 crore for 14 teams.
Thus, for 10 years, franchises will be shelling out Rs 2,520 crore largely on players and coaching support staff’s salaries. The expenditure also includes grants for grassroot development of the sport through their hockey academies.
Thus, considering HI’s contribution of Rs 1,120 crore and franchises’ spending of Rs 2,520 crore, HIL will boast of a total investment purse of Rs 3,640 crore.
Earlier, HO: wasn't limited to just two venues. But HI president Dilip Tirkey clarified that it has been done to reduce the travel and reservation cost of home and away matches. Additionally, the venues have been chosen keeping in mind the popularity of hockey in that place.
The inaugural women's event
From 2013 to 2017, the women's version of the Hockey Premier League wasn't available. For the first time, female hockey players in India will have a dedicated platform to showcase their skills on a large scale.
The women's team has been an absolute spectacle in the Tokyo Olympics. Savita Punia was no short in fame when compared to PR Sreejesh in terms of skill. The windy Vandana Kataria, hopefully, won't be a name to those fans, but in all households.
It's not about promoting gender equality in a sport when a section of it is yet to rise its head in India. It's more about breaking taboos about women wearing skirts, like what Rani Rampal faced in her childhood. It is more about providing a well-structured hockey stick to the budding players instead of a mere bamboo stick!
Drawbacks that got corrected
The 2013–2017 version of the Hockey Indian League had its financial drawbacks. But other than that, it had clashes of schedule,
A league that could have been as big as a festival, to the fans, couldn't manage to get an uninterrupted vacant place in the FIH calendar. The Hockey Pro League came into being, which ate up whatever space was remaining.
However, this year, President Tirkey and Secretary Bhola Nath Singh have assured that such disruptions won't happen from now on. Both have revealed that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has granted the window from December 28 to February 5 for the next 10 years.
HIL winners till 2017
2013- Ranchi Rhinos
2014- Delhi Waveriders
2015- Ranchi Rays
2016- Punjab Warriors
2017: Kalinga Lancers
Game recognizes Game
Sreejesh named Director of Hockey in Delhi franchise for upcoming HIL-PTI
Athletes investing in franchises is not new. So does hockey. Mahesh Bhupathi, the Indian tennis legend, has invested in the Delhi SG Pipers franchise
Adding further excitement, former Indian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who was freshly appointed as the coach for the junior hockey team, is now the mentor for the Delhi franchise.
Hockey Indian League: Opening new doors to talent
Say, for example, the Indian Premier League! It is a cash-rich league because of the unwavering fan support, definitely due to the monetization of the league.
But it has more efficacy due to its role in nurturing young talents. HIL is nothing short of that. The international players will not be just teammates but leaders and seniors whom the rookies will look up to.
This will increase the pace of the game, adding more skills and perfection to the drags and flicks.
An Indian fan probably won't be expecting some foul on the body to get a penalty corner so that some Amit Rohidas or Harmanpreet Singh convert it into a goal. A basic wish to see a ball in play before hitting the net, just as Australians do, will be fulfilled hopefully.
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