The Hockey India League finished its third season. The most consistent team of the HIL gave Ranchi fans something to cheer about. Despite a faltering start to this season, the Ranchi outfit bounced back strongly and clinched the title in their inimitable style. With this win, the city of Ranchi have got two HIL titles as the now-defunct Ranchi Rhinos had won the inaugural title in 2013. Many members of the Rhinos played for Rays, which was co-owned by Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sahara group.
Captain Ashley Jackson (England)was the main pivot who guided the team to victory. The top scorer and player of the tournament filled in the big boots of German Moritz Fuerste (Germany) in brilliant fashion. Jackson and Barry Middleton(England) tormented the opposition’s defence incessantly. The likes of Birendra Lakra, Kothajit Singh (India) also played their part to perfection. Credit must also go to goalkeeper Tyler Lovell (Australia) who held his nerves during the penalty shoot-outs in both the semi-final and final to ensure victory for the team. Daniel Beale, Nick Budgeon, Lovell, Fergus Kavanagh and Trent Mitton (Australia) aided their team to the ultimate victory following a 2-2 draw with a Japyee Punjab Warriors team also packed full of Australian stars. The Rays rode on goalkeeper Tyler Lovell’s brilliant show under the bar to earn a hard-fought win with the goalkeeper pulling off three saves in the shoot-out. During final presentations, Lovell was awarded Man of the Match after his standout performance.
Highlights of the Final can be viewed here. The Hero HIL produced 34 games and a goal feast of 137 goals. Check out the best 10 HIL 2015 goals
Final standings for the tournament were;
1.Ranchi Rays [Champions]
2.Jaypee Punjab Warriors
3.Delhi Waveriders
4.Uttar Pradesh Wizards
5.Kalinga Lancers
6.Dabang Mumbai
Mahendra Pal Singh a journalist with Sportskeeda provides a synopsis of the positive things learned from the 2015 Hockey India League for the future of India hockey.
Indian hockey is growing by leaps and bounds
The advent of Hockey India League and the much needed financial support from the corporates has resurrected the game of hockey in India. New astro-turf pitches,improvement in grass-roots level training and exposure of playing along the best in HIL has led to the overall development of the game.
Seeing players like Nikkin Thimmaiah, Ramandeep Singh bamboozle international defenders reinforces the fact that Indian Hockey is indeed heading in the right direction. Young players from the hinterlands are gaining invaluable experience by sharing the dressing room with the veterans and learning the tricks of the trade. Every budding player knows how to prepare themselves for a big game. It was evident in HIL with young Indian players playing according to team strategy and basics of the modern hockey
India young guns of India ready for the big stage
Akashdeep Singh
The famous maxim, ‘If you are good enough, you are old enough’ holds true for the current crop of youngsters in Indian hockey. All the young guns performed superbly for their respective franchises whenever called to action.
Players like Akashdeep for Delhi, Affan for Punjab, Mandeep for Ranchi had some game changing impact for their team and were head and shoulders above the rest despite of their light experience.
For instance, U.P. Wizards completely rode on the brilliance of their young blood and Dabang Mumbai had to completely rely on the 19-year old Harmanpreet Singh for short corners who did not disappoint either and was one of the top scorers for the team
Indian coaches are equivalent to their foreign peers
The one thing we have learnt from Hockey India League (HIL) is that given a chance, Indian coaches are good enough to produce results at the highest stage. If it was Cedric D’Souza’s coached side, Delhi which won the title last year, Ranchi’s Indian gaffer Harendra Singh continued that trend this year too.
The ex-national coach outfoxed his well known foreign counterparts with some shrewd game plans and player managment skills. His decision to maintain the core team intact also seemed to have work wonders as his boys delivered the goods when it mattered the most.
It is a significant achievement considering the fact that how home coaches are looked upon as inferior to their foreign peers and generally given a secondary role in the team
Offense wins Games, Defence wins Championships
The saying truly fits the final denouement of the tournament. Ranchi Rays, erstwhile Ranchi Rhinos won their second title in the wake of a strong defensive game.
In HIL’s inaugural season , Ranchi emerged as champions due to the efforts of a solid backline with players like Birendra Lakra, Kothajit Singh playing a stellar role. Both the Indian duo along with Fergus Kavanagh continued their tidy work at the back and were the unsung heroes of Ranchi Rays this season. Barring the first game, the defenders hardly put a foot wrong throughout their campaign and were always up to the task.
In the absence of Spanish Goalkeeper Francisco Cortes, Australian Tyler Lovell did a stupendous job under the bar. His heroic efforts in the semi-final and final did the trick for the Ranchi outfit which handed them their second trophy
GO HOCKEY NEWS VIEWPOINT
Like many around the world we long to see professional hockey evolve, especially when you consider that hockey is the 3rd most popular sport in the world (see below). That is despite its inadequate media coverage and the sport’s inability to secure consistent sponsorship.
(According to Wiki Answers the following figures are based on factors relating to stadium assistance, TV followers, club partners…)
1) Soccer. 3.3-3.5 Billion Fans. (Europe, Africa, Americas,etc)
2) Cricket 3-3.3 Billion Fans. (India,U.K,Pakistan,Asia,Australia,etc)
3) Field Hockey. 2-2.2 Billion Fans. (Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia)
The Hero India Hockey League and Euro Hockey League continue to show the way for FIH and national hockey associations to make inroads into the development of professional hockey. It would be good for the hockey population to have access to the complete array of marketing statistics that surrounded the HIL and Eurohockey because even at club level where sponsorship is desperately sought such ‘ammunition’ would make great presentation support data.
Source: various
