Indian hockey has been on a path to resurrection since having lost their path in early 2000’s as they failed to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Summer Games and finished last out of the 12 qualified teams in the main event at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
However, the last few years has brought some respite for the Indian hockey fans as the Blues went on to win the 2014 Asian Games, Incheon (by beating their arch-rivals Pakistan in the final) to become the first team to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics as well as winning a medal at the FIH tournament after a gap of mammoth 36 years in 2015.
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The main reason for the Blues’ meteoric rise at the International stage can be attributed to the brilliant work done to introduce and execute a domestic league in a country like India. Before the Hockey India League and Hockey India came into existence, the sport of Hockey in India was managed by IHF (Indian Hockey Federation) with Mr. KPS Gill as its president. In 2012, IHF and Nimbus sports came together to start a domestic Hockey league, named World Series Hockey.
However, this league was suspended as the IHF was transformed into Hockey India and Mr. Gill was relieved of his duties. A year later, Hockey India announced the introduction of Hockey India League, which also had the backing of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), unlike the World Series Hockey.
Let us travel back in time to see how the HIL has progressed over the seasons with some interesting facts:
2013 – 2014 Season
The inaugural season of Hockey India League was played in the month of January 2013 with 5 teams of the proposed 6 confirming to participate in a month-long event. This event had a different format, with each of the 5 teams playing each other thrice and the top 4 qualifying for the semi-final stage.
Champions: Ranchi Rhinos
Runner-up: Delhi Waveriders
Third Place: UP Wizards
Total Goals: 147, in 34 matches (4.32 goals per match)
Player of the Tournament: Sardar Singh (Delhi Waveriders) (IND)
Upcoming Player of the Tournament: Mandeep Singh (Ranchi Rhinos) (IND)
Fair Play: Ranchi Rhinos
Most Goals scored in the league phase: 37, Delhi Waveriders in 12 matches
Leading Goal Scorer: 11, Sandeep Singh (Mumbai Magicians) (IND)
2014-2015 Season
After the inaugural season turned out to be a great success, the second season of the Hockey India League was scheduled to take part in late January 2014 with Bhubneshwar-based franchise Kalinga Lancers completing the roster of the teams as the 6th franchise.
The format for the second season was changed to accommodate all the six teams, with all the teams playing each other twice – home and away. A total of 49 players were auctioned before the start of the second season from the pool consisting of over 120 players, both Indian and foreign.
Most notably, the leading goal scorer of the inaugural season, Sandeep Singh was acquired by the Punjab-based franchise Punjab Warriors for the second season, who went on to repeat his heroics by scoring the highest number of goals and helping the Warriors to a second-place finish.
Champions: Delhi Waveriders
Runner-up: Punjab Warriors
Third Place: Ranchi Rhinos
Total Goals: 154, in 34 matches (4.59 goals per match)
Player of the Tournament: Jack Stockmann (Punjab Warriors) (NED)
Upcoming Player of the Tournament: Akashdeep Singh (Delhi Waveriders) (IND)
Fair Play: Ranchi Rhinos
Most Goals in League phase: 34, Punjab Warriors in 10 matches
Leading Goal Scorer: 11, Sandeep Singh (Punjab Warriors) (IND)
2015 – 2016 Season
The third season of the Hockey India League took place in the month of January 2015 with all the six teams competing for the whopping prize money of INR 5.5 Crores.
The Ranchi-based franchise Ranchi Rhinos and Mumbai-based Mumbai Magicians were replaced by two new franchises Ranchi Rays and Dabang Mumbai, after the former two franchises had a fallout with Hockey India.
Champions: Ranchi Rays
Runner-up: Punjab Warriors
Third Place: Delhi Waveriders
Total Goals: 139, in 34 matches (4.09 goals per match)
Player of the Tournament: Ashley Jackson (Ranchi Rays) (GBR)
Upcoming Player of the Tournament: Harmanpreet Singh (Dabang Mumbai) (IND)
Fair Play: UP Wizards
Most Goals in League phase: 30, Punjab Warriors in 10 matches
Leading Goal Scorer: 12, Ashley Jackson (Ranchi Rays) (GBR)
2015 – 2016 Season
The previous season of the Hockey India League saw a major rule change which was later on considered as a ‘brilliant innovative change’ by pundits. According to the new rule, the weightage for the field goals was counted as double as compared to the goals from the penalty corners, which meant that a successfully converted short corner was still counted as a single goal while a field goal was considered as ‘two’.
Due to this change in the rule, the franchises went for youthful and skilled players instead of veteran players in the latest auction.
Champions: Punjab Warriors
Runner-up: Kalinga Lancers
Third Place: Delhi Waveriders
Total Goals: 138, in 34 matches (4.06 goals per match)
Player of the Tournament: Rupinder Pal Singh (Delhi Waveriders) (IND)
Upcoming Player of the Tournament: Sumit Kumar (Ranchi Rays) (IND)
Most Goals in League phase: 39, Kalinga Lancers in 10 matches
Leading Goal Scorer: 16, Glenn Turner (Kalinga Lancers) (AUS)
The opening match for the fifth edition of the Coal India Hockey India League is scheduled for 21st January 2017 between the hosts Dabang Mumbai and Ranchi Rays with the Mega finale scheduled for 26th February 2017 in Chandigarh, Punjab.
