HIL 2024-25: All about Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers squad

The Hockey India League (HIL) is returning after seven years and the countdown has begun for the upcoming edition. A total of eight teams will compete for more than a month in a bid to be crowned as the champions. The final of the tournament is scheduled to take place on February 1st. Like the seven other teams, the Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers also formed a formidable squad at the auction that took place in October this year.

They secured a total of 23 players in their squad, with eight of them being foreigners. Interestingly, the franchise spent the majority of their purse on Indian players. Abhishek was their most expensive player, having splurged a huge amount of Rs 72 lakh, while the other Indian national team players in their squad are Jugraj Singh and Sukhjeet Singh, who were picked for Rs 48 and 42 lakh respectively.

The trio will form the core of the Bengal Tigers squad in the Hockey India League 2024-25 as they look to win the trophy. However, none of these players have been assigned the leadership role. Instead, the team has appointed defender Rupinder Pal Singh as the leader of the pack, having secured his services for just Rs 12.5 lakh.

Surprisingly, the Tigers spent Rs 25 lakh on the 36-year-old Dutch goalkeeper Pirmin Blaak. With no certainty around his future, it remains to be seen if he will come up with a good show, given the amount invested in him. However, his presence will definitely help the other backup goalies Ali Khan and Atal Dev Singh Chahal.

Who are the other foreign players in the Bengal Tigers squad

The Bengal Tigers concentrated on picking players from Australia and New Zealand in their squad at the auction. Accordingly, they got hold of a key forward player Sam Lane of New Zealand for Rs 27 lakh. He remains their most expensive foreign pick in the auction and will be hoping that he steps up for the side.

A few of the other key players in their line-up are Lachlan Sharp from Australia, Gauthier Boccard from Belgium, and Hayden Beltz, again from Australia. A perfect mix of Indian and foreign players in the squad gives the management quite a lot of options to shuffle with during the entire tournament.

Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers Full Squad

Defenders: Jugraj Singh, Hayden Beltz, Gauthier Boccard, Rupinder Pal Singh, Tom Grambusch, Jasjit Singh Kular

Midfielders: Lachlan Sharp, Jaskaran Singh, Sean Findlay, Pardeep Mor, Pradhan Poovanna Chandura, Affan Yousuf, Atul Deep, Yogesh Malik Singh, Pardeep Singh Sandhu,Thounaojam Ingalemba Luwang

Forwards: Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Florent Van Aubel, Sam Lane, Gursewak Singh

Goalkeepers: Pirmin Blaak, Ali Khan, Atal Dev Singh Chahal

As far as the schedule is concerned, the Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers will get their campaign underway against the Hyderabad Toofans on December 29 (Sunday) in Rourkela. As per the format, the Tigers will play 10 matches before the knockouts which are scheduled to happen on January 31, followed by the third-place match and the grand final on February 1.

With players like Abhishek, Jugraj, Sukhjeet, Blaak, Lane, etc. up their sleeves, the Bengal Tigers are one team to watch out for in the upcoming edition of the Hockey India League.