Hockey India League early takeaways: Drag flickers finding the going tough, overseas goalkeepers shine | Hockey News

After Kalinga Lancers and Tamil Nadu Dragons played out a thrilling 2-2 on Friday, which ended with the latter earning the bonus point after a sudden death, each team has played two matches in the men’s Hockey India League in Rourkela. UP Rudras and Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers are the only two teams to have won both their matches outright to set the early pace with six points.
Here’s a look at some of the early trends emerging from the tournament.
Drag flickers not having it easy
It is generally considered that a conversion rate of 1 in 3 is par for the course from penalty corner situations in the men’s game. But coming into the match on Friday there were 12 PC goals from just over 60 PCs taken, putting the rate at around 19%. The likes of Harmanpreet Singh, and Gonzalo Peillat have been thwarted some fine goalkeeping and the improvement in PC defence is also largely down to the first-rushers. In Match No.8, however, a couple of star drag flickers did manage to step up as Lancers’ Alexander Hendrickx (twice) and Dragons’ Jip Janssen notched up their first goals of the season, pushing the rate to 20% – a 1 in 5 conversion. Set pieces are still a major source of chance creation for teams, but the defensive units are not making it easy.
Overseas goalkeepers shine
Given the quality of the international goalkeepers in the league, it is not a surprise that teams have preferred them between the posts. Vincent Vanasch and David Harte – two veterans in their late 30s – have been sensational for Delhi SG Pipers and Dragons, while the British youngsters Ollie Payne (Gonasika) and James Mazarelo (UP Rudras) have reiterated why they are currently among the best in the world.
Where does this leave the Indians? After PR Sreejesh’s retirement, India would want to see who emerges as contenders to Krishan Pathak’s spot, but the current No.1 is the only one so far to get significant minutes in goal. Vikas Dahiya, Suraj Karkera and Prince Deep Singh have been rotated for their sides, especially when teams are looking to use their full quota of five overseas players among outfield options.
Younger Indian forwards impress
With no single player yet to score more than 2 goals, the top of the goal-scoring chart is a cluttered field. And Sudeep Chirmako is one of them. With two fine goals for UP Rudras and an overall good attacking play, the Odisha youngster has caught the eye of many, including former India coach Harendra Singh. Delhi’s Aditya Lalage, Lancers’ Dilpreet Singh and Paris medalls Abhishek and Sukhjeet Singh have all made good starts. That will please Craig Fulton, the team’s head coach who is bound to be looking at options to challenge the aging forwards in the core senior group. On the other side of the spectrum, Tokyo medall Rupinder Pal Singh has been the most notable performer among the veterans – a fair few of them making a comeback through this league. His two goals for the Tigers apart, ‘Bob’ has been solid in defence too, coming up with critical interventions.
Overall, the league kickstarted with four overseas players scoring on the opening night but the Indians have stepped up since then, scoring 45% of the 29 goals so far in the league.

No clear weak teams
Eight matches into the tournament, the good news for the league is that there are no standout weak teams. Despite the withdrawals of some star names after the auction last October, the quality of overseas talent is still pretty elite and fairly well spread out across the 8 franchises. And with the teams helmed some of the best international coaches in the business, the level of matchplay is already elite, and is bound to improve with teams gelling better as the tournament progresses. Of the 8 matches, 4 have been draws in regulation time, and needed shootouts to decide the bonus point. Only one match has ended with a three-goal difference, when Soorma Hockey Club went down to UP Rudras. And the team that is bottom of the table – Kalinga Lancers – played probably the best half of hockey in the league so far in the first half against Dragons. It augurs well for the competitiveness of the league.

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