Hockey India League: Top Indian players to watch out for

The second edition of the Hockey India League (HIL) will start from 25th January. Ranchi Rhinos won the inaugural edition, beating Delhi Waveriders in the final. The second season will witness six teams participating; the new team inducted in this edition is Kalinga Lancers.

The HIL is one of the top domestic hockey leagues in India, where Indian players rub shoulders alongside the biggest foreign stars.

Here is the list of Indian players to watch out for from each team in this year’s Hockey India League edition:

Ranchi Rhinos

Ranchi Rhinos- Champions of the inaugural edition

Manpreet Singh - The Jalandhar-born Manpreet Singh is the captain of the junior Indian hockey team. He is also a member of the senior national team. In the last edition of Hockey India League (HIL), the midfielder played a crucial role in his team’s triumph – he scored the winning goal in the final.

Mandeep Singh - This young forward from Punjab is one of the most promising stars in Indian hockey right now. Mandeep’s biggest claim to fame is being the second highest scorer of the tournament in last year’s HIL. His clinical finishing helped his side Ranchi Rhinos to clinch their maiden title.

Delhi Waveriders

Delhi Waveriders- runner-up in the inaugural edition

Sardara Singh - Captain of the Indian national team, Sardara will likely play a crucial role yet again in this edition of HIL. This talismanic half-back was awarded the Player of the Tournament award last year. He is also the captain of the Delhi Waveriders team.

Rupinder Pal Singh - This talented defender is one of the most promising talents in Indian hockey at the moment.  Rupinder was the highest scorer in last year’s Sultan Azlan Shah Tournament. He scored 7 goals in last year’s HIL.