The India’s Hockey League (HIL) was inaugurated during the year 2013 and has been recorded as the latest development in the sport of Hockey since history. The fascinating concept of a city-based franchise system like we saw during the IPL has proved to be quite a success, even in Hockey. Each city franchise featured players from different parts of the world who played alongside some of our best domestic players.
It would have been a crazy idea when it was first put forward. Who would’ve thought that the Delhi Waveriders led by Sardar Singh would emerge as such a successful hockey team? They were runners-up to Ranchi Rhinos in the first edition of HIL, while they bagged the title the following year.
AK Bansal, who was the team’s coach during the first season of HIL, says the success of his team owes to the flexibility and openness of all the players. They all learnt to adjust with each other, no matter how different they were culturally. Delhi’s hockey team consisted of big names from abroad like Jason Wilson and Matthew Gohdes from Australia, Mujtaba from Denmark, and Simon Childs from New Zealand among others. They played alongside some of our best players from within the country.
AK Bansal, who was the team’s coach during the first season of HIL, says the success of his team owes to the flexibility and openness of all the players. They all learnt to adjust with each other, no matter how different they were culturally. Delhi’s hockey team consisted of big names from abroad like Jason Wilson and Matthew Gohdes from Australia, Mujtaba from Denmark, and Simon Childs from New Zealand among others. They played alongside some of our best players from within the country.
In the championship-winning year (2014), skipper Sardar Singh emerged as the disciplined midfielder, while Rupinder Pal Singh, Kiwi Steve Edwards and Aussie Tristan White playing on the defense side contributed to the team’s strong point. They collectively led Delhi Waveriders to win during the second edition of Hockey India League.
All in all, it was a great year for the Sardar-led team who choked the life out of their opponents by executing their strategy well. HIL might have changed the way Hockey is played around the world, thus bringing our national sport to get the attention it deserves.
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