Indian men’s hockey team captain and drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh expressed his excitement ahead of Hockey India League (HIL) 2024 as he gears up to lead Soorma Hockey Club.
Harmanpreet became the most expensive player in HIL history after being acquired by Soorma Hockey Club for ₹78 lakh during the recent auction.
“I’m thrilled to begin this new chapter of Indian Hockey as a Soorma Hockey Club player and compete in the Hockey India League. The league provides a fantastic platform for players to showcase their skills, and I’m looking forward to contributing to the team’s success this season,” he commented.
The Hockey India League, returning after a hiatus, promises to deliver high-octane action and showcase top-tier talent from around the world.
While the Hockey India League is restarting after a seven-year hiatus, the return of the league is accompanied by the commencement of a Women’s League, the very first of its kind in India. Harmanpreet believes the India women’s national side will benefit from the tournament like it benefitted his set of players, putting them on the path of regaining Olympic glory.
“The impact of the HIL can be seen to this day in the Indian Men’s Hockey Team. The Team’s success in the Olympics is due to the exposure the League provided us at a young age. Rubbing shoulders with players you look up to and competing with and against them on a daily basis improved us more than we could imagine. With the Women’s HIL also commencing this time, I am certain that it will propel the Indian Women’s Hockey Team to greater heights as well in the future,” he added.
The Soorma Hockey Club is coached by Jeroen Baart, with Indian hockey legend Sardar Singh serving as a mentor. Harmanpreet’s impressive track record includes scoring 205 goals in 234 appearances for the national senior side, and he will aim to replicate the same in the HIL along with world-class teammates like Vivek Sagar Prasad, Gurjant Singh, Victor Wegnez, and Jeremy Hayward.
“The HIL is going to be a great experience for us all. It is poised to be an exciting competition that will pitch us against our international teammates and challenge us to bring our A-game. Playing in front of passionate fans and representing Soorma Hockey Club is a tremendous honour, and I am eager to give my best to achieve success for the team,” Harmanpreet concluded.
