New Delhi: Young Indian defender Gurmail Singh and striker Mandeep Singh raked in big money at the Hockey India League (HIL) players auction here on Thursday, even eclipsing skipper of the national team, Sardar Singh, in the bidding war between six franchises.
Gurmail was bid successfully by Dabang Mumbai for $81,000 and Mandeep was bought by Delhi Waveriders for $70,000 to go past what their Indian team-mates Rupinderpal Singh, Nikkin Thimmaih, Dharamvir Singh, Sardar, Jasjit Singh Kular, Danish Mujtaba and Chinglensana Singh were offered by respective franchises.
However, striker Akashdeep Singh remained the biggest earner among the Indians taking home a whopping $84,000, bought by UP Wizards. It was a three-way battle for the Indian striker between UP, Dabang Mumbai and Ranchi Rays.
Also earning big were veteran drag-flicker Sandeep Singh, defender Gurmail Singh, forward Gurwinder Singh Chandi,
Sardar was bought by Punjab Warriors for $58,000, Sandeep by Ranchi Rays for $81,000, Gurmail by Dabang Mumbai for $81,000, Chandi by Punjab Warriors for $75,000, Rupinderpal by Delhi for $68,000, Nikkin by Mumbai for $67000, Kular by Punjab for $65,000, Chinglensana by UP for $62,000, Dharamvir by Kalinga Lancers for $60,000, and Mujtaba by Mumbai for $54000.
Rupinder was earlier not retained by Delhi who chose to re-buy him in a fresh bidding battle with Mumbai. Also emerging as a surprise was the price bagged by Sandeep who has been out of the Indian team since the 2012 Olympics; however, his performance for Punjab in the last edition of the HIL, where they made it to the finals, must have worked in his favour as a drag-flick specialist.
He was released by Punjab at the end of his three-year contract.
Sardar was the third Indian player to come into the 272-player auction held at The Lalit hotel in the Indian capital. But contrary to expectations, bidding for the India captain didn't go far before being sealed by Punjab, starting from his base price of $20,000. It was also $20,000 less than his last selling price in the inaugural auction in 2012.
He too was not retained by his previous franchise Delhi after the end of three-year contractual period in 2015. However, Delhi didn't go for the 29-year-old this time.
The Lancers turned out to one of the biggest spenders splashing a record $105,000 on German midfielder Moritz Fuerste, thereby making him the biggest earner in an HIL auction.
Also making the big bucks were Germany's Florian Fuchs and Tobias Hauke, both of who took home $96,000 from Dabang Mumbai and UP Wizards respectively.
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