Sardar Singh, Raghunath fetch highest prices at HIL auction

New Delhi, Dec 16 (IANS) India’s captain and one of the marquee players, Sardar Singh was sold to Delhi Wave Riders for the highest price of $78,000 while Bangalore’s V.R. Raghunath fetched the second highest price of $76,000 for Uttar Pradesh Wizards here at the Hockey India League (HIL) players’ auction Sunday.

Raghunath’s reserve price was $13,900 before the Lucknow-based outfit snapped him up for the second highest figure at the auction.

Other marquee players sold at the auction were German Moritz Suertse for $75,500 to Ranchi Rhinos, world’s most capped player Teun de Nooijer of the Netherlands to Lucknow-based Uttar Pradesh Wizards for $66,000, and Australian Jamie Dwyer to Jaypee Punjab Warriors at $60,000.

India’s second marquee player and drag-flick specialist Sandeep Singh, who was touted to be sold for the highest price, went for his reserve price of $27,800 to Mumbai Magicians.

Other important Indian players sold at the auction were S.V. Sunil (Punjab for $42,000), Yuvraj Walmiki (Delhi for $18,000), and Shivendra Singh (Punjab for $27,500).

Mumbai’s Tushar Khandekar was sold for only $100 more than his reserve price of $13,900 to Uttar Pradesh while S.K. Uthappa went to Uttar Pradesh for $25,000 and Gurbaj Singh to Delhi for $36,000.

Ignace Tirkey, who had a reserve price of $13,900, went to Punjab for $31,000 while Rupinder Pal Singh, with a base price of $9,250, was sold to Uttar Pradesh for $56000.

Unlike cricket’s Indian Premier League (IPL), there were no problems with the auction of Pakistani players as the Mumbai franchisee bought Fareed Ahmed for $21,000 and Mohammed Rashid for $41,000.

On being sold for the highest price, Sardar said: “It feels very good. I am enjoying the moment. Hopefully all players will get a good deal. There will a banter among the national team players about who are sold for what.”

IANS 2012-12-16 13:34:19