‘HIL Experience Will Help Me Break Into The Senior National Team’: Delhi SG Pipers’ Defender Rohit

Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team defender Rohit was waiting anxiously on 14th October, second day of HIL Auctions, for his name to come up along with his friends at lunch hall in SAI Bengaluru. Rohit held back his initial fear of going unsold, only to see five teams eng in a bidding war for 20-year-old. He bread a huge sigh of relief and wore a proud smile as Delhi SG Pipers snatched him up for 40 lakh, making him costliest Indian player yet to make his senior debut.

“re was a slight fear in my he if any of teams would bid for me but to see five teams battle to have me in ir squ was a complete surprise. I won’t lie, as bids got higher my smile got wider. It was a moment of great pride for me to go for a huge amount like that eugh though I haven’t me my National Team debut yet. It must mean coaches and selectors have liked what y have seen on and off turf,” Rohit revealed.

Rohit was a lucrative prospect for most teams in HIL owing to his dynamism on pitch and his unwavering determination. l from Haryana is a fantastic drag flicker and an utterly fearless first rusher. Due to this do or die nature of his, Rohit has broken his jaw while rushing out to stop a penalty corner on two occasions. Even though he is unsure how many of his teeth are fake and how many are real, he remains ever-rey to step up and bail team out of tricky situations.

“I have h mouth fractures twice as a first rusher, once when I was training in Chandigarh and once in a practice match against Senior Team in camp. re was a slight hesitation to rush again after injury but when I am playing and team has to defend a penalty corner, I automatically feel like rushing out again because helping team in that moment is more important, ‘Daanth toh nakli ba me bhi lag jayenge’,” he said with a smile.

Rohit is often seen honing his dragflicking skills after practice with a group of like-minded and hard-working players. This has contributed to his growth after making his Junior National Team debut at 2022 Sultan of Johor Cup where team clinched Gold medal. He was an integral part of 2023 Junior Asia Cup title-winning team, and Bronze medal-winning team at Sultan of Johor Cup 2023 and 2024 as well.

Delhi SG Pipers boast a formidable squ in revamped HIL. With former Indian Men’s Hockey Team Chief Coach Graham Reid at helm, supported by Shivendra Singh and 'Wall of Indian Hockey' PR Sreejesh serving as Director of Hockey, team is poised for success. Rohit will have opportunity to learn from established overseas drag flickers like Tomas Domene from Argentina and Gareth Furlong from Wales, as well as Indian defender and drag flicker Varun Kumar.

"I cant wait for HIL to begin. It is a tremendous opportunity for me to play alongside and learn from some of best in business. I am confident that experience I gain from HIL will help me break into Senior National Team. I am looking forward to a fantastic season with Delhi SG Pipers," Rohit expressed with enthusiasm.