The second edition of the revamped Hockey India League (HIL) ended on Monday with Kalinga Lancers emerging champions after beating Ranchi Royals in the final at Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium. Earlier this month, the women's HIL saw SG Pipers winning the title in a four-team event.
The hockey was largely entertaining with some world class foreign players taking the plaudits. A few Indians were also impactful while there were certain issues which need to be looked at.
Here are some key takeaways for Hockey India to ponder upon before the next edition of the HIL:
High quality games
Despite the absence of players from the Netherlands, arguably the world's best in both men's and women's hockey, the league delivered quality. A majority of the games were evenly matched and fiercely fought, helping the league retain its entertainment value. Of course, it helped that the best players from other top nations like Belgium, Australia, Argentina and England turned up.
It was a worry with the women's HIL that the best Dutch players were not featuring, however, it didn't adversely impact the overall standards of the games. The big beneficiaries were, of course, the Indian youngsters who get exposed to such high-level games in a domestic tournament. That's the bottom line of the HIL. A player like Bansari Solanki, the goalkeeper who played a stellar role in SG Pipers' WHIL title, gained invaluable experience this season and it could propel her career.
Amandeep Lakra stands out
Among the Indian youngsters who were looking to make a mark, Amandeep Lakra stood out. The dragflicker was impressive last season when he got his chances from penalty corners, scoring five goals. This season, in the absence of Gonzalo Peillat, the 23-year-old from Odisha delivered big for the Hyderabad Toofans, with nine goals.
National team coach Craig Fulton was also impressed by his performances and hinted at including the defender for the upcoming FIH Pro League games in Rourkela and Hobart. In a big year like 2026, with the World Cup and Asian Games coming up, India will need a scoring dragflicker behind Harmanpreet Singh. The opportunity is there for the taking and Amandeep has the best chance to seize it.
"I have to prove myself because the coaches are all here, all of Hockey India is here, so if I do well in front of them, then they will call me up," Lakra had said during the HIL. He certainly has proved himself.
Women's HIL needs more matches
Even though the quality was good, the Women's HIL needs more matches. A total of just 13 games among four teams is just too low if Indian women's hockey seeks improvement in standards.
The Indian women's hockey team has regressed over the last few years, failing to make it to the 2024 Paris Olympics and falling behind China in Asia. There's an urgent need to develop more world-class players and it's clear that HIL is crucial for this to happen. Even adding one more team can prove to be hugely beneficial.
Even though Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey said they might add more teams to the WHIL, it doesn't inspire hope when you see last year's winners Odisha Warriors pulling out of the 2025-26 season. In case the board can't find takers for a women's team, they could form a team like HIL GC, which played in the men's league after taking over from UP Rudras.
The matches delivered but viewership must improve
Be it the numbers watching the live broadcast or the fans in the stadium, both need improvement. This time, the league went to a new city in Chennai, where empty stands for most games were an eyesore. Even Ranchi, where crowds turned up for the women's games, didn't have the same appettite for the men's games.
Tirkey said next season either Chandigarh or Delhi will be one of the venues. Getting the league to Punjab where some of India's best players come from will certainly boost the viewership. It's a step taken in the right direction even though it's already late.
There's the issue of marketing and promotion which both Hockey India and the respective franchises must look to address. Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey has promised to reduce the franchise fees for the upcoming seasons, which is indeed good news for the teams, but they must also do their bit in terms of investing more for promotions, especially in the host cities. Meanwhile, Hockey India said they will pay more attention to increasing central sponsorship, which should be a priority if they want to put more money in increasing the eyeballs for both Men's and Women's HIL.