The Hockey India League is poised to make a comeback a decade after its initial launch, and six years since its last occurrence. Yes, you heard it absolutely right.
In a positive development signaling the start of its revival, Hockey India announced on Monday the selection of a commercial partner, whose responsibility it will be to finalize the teams involved in the league, in addition to other logistical aspects. The HIL was discontinued in 2017 due to the financial strain that it placed on the team owners, some of whom suffered losses.
Although the final number of teams to participate in the men’s tournament is yet to be confirmed for HIL, sources suggest that the women’s league will comprise four teams, which will be a first-time occurrence.
When Is The Hockey India League Set To Return?
The date for the upcoming Hockey India League Season has yet to be confirmed by Hockey India. In a statement released on Monday, the organization stated that the HIL schedule, format, and host cities would be announced at an appropriate time.
Some of the sources indicate that the league is likely to return in 2024, following the Paris Olympics. Previously, the HIL took place mostly in January and February, but with Olympic qualification events slated for early 2024, the earliest possible time for the HIL to occur would be after the conclusion of the Olympics.
Learn More About The Format Of HIL 2024
Although an official announcement has yet to be made regarding the format of the upcoming HIL tournament, a Hockey India representative has revealed that the league will remain in the 11-a-side format.
This statement further negates any speculation that the tournament may be structured as a Hockey 5s event.
Hockey 5s is a shorter, condensed version of the game that only lasts 20 minutes. With the FIH (International Hockey Federation) promoting the shorter format, Hockey India had previously considered reviving the HIL as a 5s tournament due to logistical and financial benefits.
However, the organization’s primary objective is to enhance the skill set of Indian players to ensure that they continue to excel in the traditional format of the game. Therefore, the Hockey India League will maintain the ‘11-a-side’ format for the tournament.
Why Is The Hockey India League So Important For Us?
Legendary coach Ric Charlesworth was quick to identify one of the reasons behind India’s early exit from the World Cup on home soil earlier this year – the absence of a competitive league, particularly the HIL. He said that “I think that really gave local players a boost,”.
Also, he mentioned, “They played next to international players, and realised they only had two arms and two legs and that they could compete with them.” Source:
Charlesworth’s assessment was accurate, as the HIL played an enormous role in the development of Indian players. Almost all the players who won a bronze medal for India at the Tokyo Olympics were from the HIL generation.
Even a short competition of one month or so, as former captain Manpreet Singh remarked, helped him grow as a player. So, is Hockey India League season making a revival finally? Well, stay tuned with us to know.
