Hardik to captain HIL Governing Council squad in Hockey India League

New Delhi, Dec 26 (IANS) Indian midfielder Hardik Singh has been named as the captain of the HIL Governing Council Team for the forthcoming Men Hockey India League scheduled to begin on January 3 at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium, Chennai.

The HIL Governing Council team has taken over the operations from UP Rudras franchise ahead of the 2026 season to ensure continuity for its players. They begin their campaign on January 5 against SG Pipers.

Hardik will lead a team comprising a good mix of experienced stalwarts like Lalit Upadhyay, Sam Ward, Surender Kumar, Kane Rusell and the team also features India Colts who recently won Bronze at the FIH Junior Men Hockey World Cup such as Gurjot Singh, Manmeet Singh, Talem Priyoborta.

Speaking about the captaincy responsibility, Hardik said, I am grateful for this opportunity and I am looking forward it. It is always exciting to be in a leadership role and take the team along in both highs and lows through the season.

We have a strong mix of young players who had a good outing in Junior World Cup as well as experienced players with several international matches under their belt. We are looking forward to a good season and also gain from the knowledge exchange with foreign players, Hardik added.

The Men’s Hockey India League 2026 season features eight franchises—Tamil Nadu Dragons, Hyderabad Toofans, JSW Soorma Hockey Club, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers (defending champions), Vedanta Kalinga Lancers, Ranchi Royals, SG Pipers, and HIL Governing Council—in a single round-robin format with 23 league matches, followed by playoffs (Qualifier 1, Eliminator on Jan 23; Qualifier 2 on Jan 25) and a grand final on January 26 at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, totalling 33 high-stakes encounters.

Action kicks off January 3 at Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai (Jan 3-9), shifts to Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh AstroTurf in Ranchi (Jan 11-16), and concludes in Bhubaneswar at Kalinga Stadium (Jan 17-26), pitting Indian stars against international imports in daily double-headers that mirror FIH pressures while driving fan engagement through packed venues and themed events.

Please find attached pictures and schedule.

--IANS

bc/

Source: IANS | © IANS. All rights reserved.