PREVIEW
UP Rudras and the Kalinga Lancers will play their opening Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 match at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Monday.
UP Rudras boasts a Netherlands-heavy core strengthened with Paris Olympics gold medallists, with the women’s team coach Paul Van Ass overseeing the tactics. While Lars Balk and Floris Wortelboer were acquired through the auction, Dutch midfielder Seve Van Ass has withdrawn, replaced by Great Britain’s James Albery.
The attack will be led by GB’s Sam Ward, Belgium’s Tanguy Cosyns and India’s Lalit Upadhyay. The midfield is also strong with the likes of India’s Hardik Singh and Akashdeep Singh, alongside New Zealand’s Kane Russell.
Defending champion Lancers is the only club returning from the previous iteration of the HIL. The squad is studded with international captains, including Australia’s Aran Zalewski, the Netherlands’ Thierry Brinkman, and Belgium’s Arthur Van Doren.
The core is heavily European, featuring Brinkman, Enrique Gonzalez, and the Belgian trio of Van Doren, Antoine Kina, and Alexander Hendrickx. India goalkeeper Krishan Pathak provides security at the back, while Hendrickx will pose a big threat with his drag flicks. The Mark Hager-coached side will be a top contender for the title.
FULL SQUADS
UP Rudras
Defenders: Lars Balk (Netherlands), Kane Russell (New Zealand), Surender Kumar, Priyobarta Talem, Sunil Jojo, Sharda Nand Tiwari, Prashant Barla, James Albery (Great Britain)
Midfielders: Hardik Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Simranjeet Singh, Floris Wortelboer (Netherlands), Rafael Vilallonga (Spain), Manmeet Singh, Jobanpreet Singh
Forwards: Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Sam Ward (Great Britain), Tanguy Cosyns (Belgium), Gurjot Singh, Mohd. Zaid Khan, Sudeep Chirmako
Goalkeepers: Prashant Kumar Chauhan, James Mazarelo (Great Britain), Pankaj Kumar Rajak
Kalinga Lancers
Defenders: Sanjay, Mandeep Mor, Alexander Hendrickx (Belgium), Arthur Van Doren (Belgium), Antoine Kina (Belgium), Partap Lakra, Sushil Dhanwar, Rohit Kullu, Enrique Gonzalez (Spain)
Midfielders: Aran Zalewski (Australia), Moriangthem Rabichandra, Enrique Gonzalez (Spain), Mukesh Toppo, Rosan Kujur, Nicholas Bandurak (Great Britain)
Forwards: Boby Singh Dhami, Dilpreet Singh, Thierry Brinkman (Netherlands), Angad Bir Singh, Roshan Minz, Gursahibjit Singh, Deepak Pradhan
Goalkeepers: Krishan Pathak, Tobias Reynolds-Cotterill (Great Britain), Sahil Kumar Nayak
When is the men’s Hockey India League match between UP Rudras and Kalinga Lancers?
The men’s Hockey India League 2024-25 match between UP Rudras and Kalinga Lancers will begin at 8:15PM IST on Monday, December 30 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.
Where to watch UP Rudras and Kalinga Lancers HIL match LIVE?
The men’s Hockey India League 2024-25 match between UP Rudras and Kalinga Lancers will be telecast LIVE on the Sony Sports Network (Sony Sports 1, Sony Sports 3, Sony Sports 4). It will also be telecast by Doordarshan.
SonyLIV and WAVES platforms will LIVE stream the match. Moreover, you can stay tuned to Sportstar’s website and app for the latest updates from the fixture.
