By IANS,
New Delhi : Indian hockey team’s captain and one of the marquee players, Sardar Singh was sold to the Delhi Wave Riders for the highest price of $78,000 here at the Hockey India League (HIL) players’ auction Sunday.
Other marquee players sold at the auction were Australian Jamie Dwyer to Jaypee Punjab Warriors at $60,000, German Moritz Suertse for $75,500 to Ranchi Rhinos, and world’s most capped player Teun de Nooijer of the Netherlands to Lucknow-based Uttar Pradesh Wizards for $66,000.
India’s second marquee player and drag-flick specialist Sandeep Singh, who was touted to be sold for the highest price, was sold at 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.
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.”