Dilip Tirkey gets HIL timing spot-on!

Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey. Pic/Hockey India

President Dilip Tirkey's Hockey India attracted a fair share of criticism for the departure of India's Tokyo Olympics bronze medal-winning coach Graham Reid immediately after the FIH World Cup earlier this year. However, just like in his playing days when the sturdy defender was known to re-tackle hard to retrieve a lost ball, Tirkey seems to have regained praise with the initiation of the franchise-based Hockey India League (HIL).

The HIL was played across five seasons - 2013 to 2017 - before it abruptly ended due to financial issues. It is due to this reason that Hockey India have roped in a commercial partner this time round - Big Bang Media Ventures Pvt Ltd. The league is being planned for early next year and the timing couldn't have been better, considering it is an Olympic year. India's domestic players have benefitted immensely from previous HIL editions, having shared the dressing room with some of the stalwarts of world hockey like veteran Dutch goalkeeper Jaap Stockman, Germany's creative forward Florion Fuchs and England's star drag flicker Ashley Jackson, to name a few. With the Paris Olympics not too far away (July 26 to August 11, 2024), once again India's young hockey players can have their confidence boosted when they rub shoulders with world hockey's leading lights at the HIL next year.

"I'm delighted that we are moving towards the launch of a new era of the Hockey India League. It will revitalise not only hockey in India, but also bring fresh energy to the sport globally. The league was one of my top priorities when I assumed office as president of Hockey India. It will be a critical stepping stone for India," Tirkey said recently.

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Fans are also most excited at the prospect of the HIL re-starting. "All the very best to you all and our talented men's and women's hockey team in all your endeavours. I hope like Naveen Patnaik [Odisha chief minister and principal sponsor of Indian hockey] more state CM's and leading companies come forward to support Indian hockey," wrote one ardent hockey lover on Twitter. "HIL means more hockey matches, more excitement. Hockey is becoming stronger in India with wider viewership. Thank you very much," wrote another hockey lover. Tirkey & Co received some words of advice too. "Hope this HIL will be managed professionally as this has got strong potential to become one of the best hockey leagues in the world. All the best," wrote another online follower.