Indian hockey players bonding with the best in relaunched HIL

Skipper Sumit Walmiki and Australian Tim Brand walked to the dugout, shared a laugh and high-fived after Hyderabad Toofans' practice.

- Sandip Sikdar

ROURKELA: Skipper Sumit Walmiki and Australian Tim Brand walked to the dugout, shared a laugh and high-fived after Hyderabad Toofans' practice. Nearby, an awe-struck Amandeep Lakra was listening with rapt attention to Gonzalo Peillat as Germany's drag-flick legend gave the Indian youngster tips to take PCs.

The scenes were reminiscent of the HIL that folded due to financial issues after five seasons in 2017. Then too, Indian players played alongside the finest in the world, sharing the dressing room with legends like Moritz Furste, Jamie Dwyer and Mark Knowles.

While the eight-team league has retained its cosmopolitan nature in its revamped avatar, there are marked changes too that are noticeable for someone who has witnessed both versions.

Even though Sumit isn't fluent in English, the two-time Olympic medallist doesn't hesitate to interact with overseas players, something that wasn't the case earlier. German legend Furste said that it took them weeks to even have a basic conversation with some Indians "because they were shy".