To run a successful franchise league isn’t easy and we have seen that with far too many sports in the last decade. Some leagues have shut down while others found it hard to get off the ground. Hockey India had also tried it in the past, and to bring it back in a better and more vibrant avatar is a good job done.
Packed crowds at the Birsa Munda Stadium said it all. There are takers for the sport and the standard of play was of the very highest class. From an Indian standpoint, the efforts of Jugraj Singh, 10 goals with a hat-trick in the final, will help ease the creeping drag-flick anxiety and give national team coach Craig Fulton a fresh option going ahead.
From a league’s perspective, Hockey India deserves credit for pulling it off. Dilip Tirkey, just moments after getting elected as the president of HI, had promised to restore the competition and to his credit he has. Credit is also due to Bholanath Singh and Commander Srivastava at HI who have both worked tirelessly to make it a success.
Yes, many will say things weren’t perfect. The truth is that there is always room for improvement. With the IPL also, things weren’t perfect in season one. But the most important thing is that a start has been made and more meat will be added in 2025. “We will keep improving. The idea will be to add more women’s teams next year and attract the best talent from all over the world. We also want to make the league more attractive for corporates to come forward and support the sport,” said Singh.
For Shrachi Tigers, the win has been truly a momentous one. They were the most consistent team in the group stage and finished with the highest tally of 19 points. And in the semi-final and final, they showed the perfect temperament for key knockout fixtures. To not give up, keep fighting and eventually making it count; it was indeed a memorable campaign for the team.
As team owner Rahul Todi said: “This is a truly proud moment for us. Our team has shown tremendous skill and determination, and they fully deserve the title. Tournaments like Hockey India League are vital as it gives players the opportunity to showcase their talent at the highest level.”
For the Shrachi group that has spent a lot of money in Olympic sport in the last two years, this is a just reward for the efforts put in. While things have not always been smooth, as with Mohammedan Sporting, they have stayed true to the vision of promoting sport and the win in the inaugural edition of the league comes as a huge reward.
For Indian hockey also, it is a step in the right direction. Playing with some of the world’s best, domestic stars will only feel richer with the experience. With back-to-back medals in Tokyo and Paris, hockey has been on an upward swing and the league will help accelerate the growth of the sport.
Make no mistake, the league isn’t the IPL-like just yet. No league can create the same aura. But what it has done is remarkable and has given India’s premier Olympic sport a fresh stimulus.
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