Jugraj & Tigers steal the show

Rourkela: Despite all the apprehensions, some setbacks and a few challenges, the inaugural edition of the revamped Hockey India League came to a thrilling end on Saturday night at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here with Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers grabbing the crown.
In a tournament where penalty corners were hard to come by, the night belonged to the drag flickers as all seven goals were scored by them and each one of them was executed to perfection. However, it was Jugraj Singh who stole the show with his hat-trick and his performance was one of the key takeaways from the tournament.
Jugraj 2.0
After being in the reserves both at the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jugraj was always under pressure to perform. But thanks to a senior like Rupinder Pal Singh guiding him along throughout the meet, he stayed calm, didn't allow the failures to bother him, and finished as the top scorer of the tournament with 12 goals.
After the match, he even thanked the former India drag-flicker and said, "Whenever I am on the field and he is there with me, I feel comfortable. I kept talking with him and that has helped me massively to perform."
Youngsters shine
Besides Jugraj, young Indian drag-flicker Amandeep Lakra was quite impressive from the PCs and he played a big role in helping Hyderabad Toofans make the final. Then there was 20-year-old Toofans goalkeeper Bikramjit Singh, who won the best goalkeeper of the tournament award. Their teammate Arshdeep Singh also did well and it helped him make it to the Indian team for the upcoming Pro League.
Brinkmann show not enough for Lancers
Thierry Brinkman starred with 10 field goals including a hat-trick for Kalinga Lancers as they scored a mouth-watering 31 goals in 10 group games. But their defence let them down badly as they also conceded 31 times. As a result, they shockingly failed to make it to the semis and finished sixth on the table despite having the best team on paper.
Refereeing concerns
There were a few instances of questionable refereeing in the group stage but it was in the semifinal between Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers and Tamil Nadu Dragons that Dragons players felt hard done by a decision that in the end helped Bengal Tigers make the final. Skipper Amit Rohidas was quite vocal about it after the game and blamed the video referee for their loss.
Lots to be desired off the field
While the action on the field was satisfying, Hockey India needs to do a lot to make sure the foreigners don't pull out from next season onwards. That includes better auctions, a playing period that doesn't clash with year-end festivities and different host cities. Also, they need to promote it well so that the matches are not played in front of empty seats and make sure that the scheduling is better.