UP Rudras snap up Hardik, Lalit Upadhyay & 4 others on day 1 of Hockey India League auction
Promoted by Yadu Sports, UP Rudras franchise secured Olympics gold medalist defender Lars Balk (Netherlands) as well as Kane Russell (New Zealand) and Spanish forward Alvaro Iglesias on an action-packed afternoon that witnessed some intense bidding for premier players. All eight franchises have a purse of INR 4 crore each to fit in a 24-member squad with 16 Indian players, including a mandatory four juniors (age 21 and below), and eight overseas players.
With ace Dutch coach Paul van Ass, co-coach Thomas Tichelman and technical director Cedric D’Souza at the table, the UP Rudras are in the process of putting together a heady mix of players with experience, enthusiasm and potential.
A key member of the bronze-medal-winning team at both the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympics, Hardik (base price INR 10 lakh) was snapped up for INR 70 lakh in the opening session after Upadhyay, also a two-time Olympic medallist with a similar base price, was bought at INR 28 lakh.
Balk, who won gold with the National team at the Paris Olympics, was clinched for INR 40 lakh while the experienced Russell was sealed at INR 30 lakh. Meanwhile, Iglesias was bought for INR 12.5 lakh and Indian defender Surender Kumar for INR 14 lakh.
Reflecting on the productive first day at the auctions, the chief coach, Paul Van Ass highlighted the thought process behind going for the players. “We had a good strategy in place and stuck to it. We wanted Hardik and Lalit and were lucky to have got them both because an auction can be unpredictable,” coach Van Ass said at the conference.
The auction, with 400 domestic and over 150 overseas men players registered, will resume at 10 a.m. on Monday, the concluding day.
About Yadu Sports:
Founded by Yadu International Limited (YIL), Yadu Sports is dedicated to promoting sports in India focusing on grassroots development. The company owns teams in state leagues namely Gwalior Cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh League, Jaanbaaz Kota Challengers in Rajasthan Premier League and JK Super Strikers in Sher-e-Punjab League. Following the legacy of Yadu International, Yadu Sports aims to focus on sports sponsorship and community involvement, develop local talent, and elevate the visibility of sports through quality events. Taking a commitment towards excellence and collaboration, Yadu Sports is well poised to create an exciting sports ecosystem for the country, groom new and skilled athletes, and build a robust community around the sport.