New Delhi:
India’s captain and one of the marquee players, Sardar Singh was sold to Delhi Wave Riders for the highest price of $78,000 while Bangalore’s V.R. Raghunath fetched the second highest price of $76,000 for Uttar Pradesh Wizards here at the Hockey India League (HIL) players’ auction Sunday.

Raghunath’s reserve price was $13,900 before the Lucknow-based outfit snapped him up for the second highest figure at the auction.

Other marquee players sold at the auction were German Moritz Suertse for $75,500 to Ranchi Rhinos, world’s most capped player Teun de Nooijer of the Netherlands to Lucknow-based Uttar Pradesh Wizards for $66,000, and Australian Jamie Dwyer to Jaypee Punjab Warriors at $60,000.

India’s second marquee player and drag-flick specialist Sandeep Singh, who was touted to be sold for the highest price, went for his reserve price of $27,800 to Mumbai Magicians.

Other important Indian players sold at the auction were S.V. Sunil (Punjab for $42,000), Yuvraj Walmiki (Delhi for $18,000), and Shivendra Singh (Punjab for $27,500).

Mumbai’s Tushar Khandekar was sold for only $100 more than his reserve price of $13,900 to Uttar Pradesh while S.K. Uthappa went to Uttar Pradesh for $25,000 and Gurbaj Singh to Delhi for $36,000.

Ignace Tirkey, who had a reserve price of $13,900, went to Punjab for $31,000 while Rupinder Pal Singh, with a base price of $9,250, was sold to Uttar Pradesh for $56000.

Unlike cricket’s Indian Premier League (IPL), there were no problems with the auction of Pakistani players as the Mumbai franchisee bought Fareed Ahmed for $21,000 and Mohammed Rashid for $41,000.

On being sold for the highest price, Sardar said: “It feels very good. I am enjoying the moment. Hopefully all players will get a good deal. There will a banter among the national team players about who are sold for what.”

source: http://www.aajkikhabar.com / Aaj Ki Khabar / Home> Sports / Tuesday, December 18th, 2012