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The Hockey India League Player Auction 2024/25 for the women’s tournament was conducted in New Delhi on Tuesday, October 15. The auction saw four franchises assembling strong squads for the inaugural season which will take place in Ranchi. Among all the players who went under the hammer at the auction, India defender Udita Duhan earned the highest bid and emerged as the most expensive player.
Udita was bought by Sharchi Rarh Bengal Tigers for INR 32 lakh. On the other hand, Dutch star Yibbi Jansen became the costliest overseas player after Odisha Warriors acquired her service for INR 29 lakh. In the bidding war, Indian players Lalremsiami, Sunelita Toppo and Sangita Kumar got bids of INR 25 lakh, INR 24 lakh and INR 22 lakh, respectively.
Who is Udita Duhan? Indian defender to get highest bid at HIL player auction
Udita Duhan, a 26-year-old defender who hails from Hisar in Haryana, made her debut for the senior women’s team in 2017. She lost her father a year before playing her first game in India colours. Duhan, who is now a regular name in the senior team was a part of India’s squad at the Tokyo Olympics. Not only this, but she was also a member of the 2022 Commonwealth Games’ bronze winning squad as well as the 2022 FIH Nations Cup squad too.
Duhan bagged her 100th international cap this year. Earlier, she was a part of the 2018 Asian Games silver medal winning team as well as the 2023 Women’s Asian Champions Trophy winning squad. Duhan isn’t limited to hockey only; regarded as one of the most beautiful hockey players, she was a model for famous designer Rina Dhaka in 2021.
I thought I will go unsold: Udita Duhan after being top earner at the HIL women’s auction
After her bid at the HIL auction, Udita Duhan revealed that she had thought she would go unsold. She said, “I was nervous before the auction because I thought I’ll go unsold. I never expected such an amount, even if I thought I would be picked, I thought it could be for around Rs 15 to Rs 20 lakh, certainly not Rs 32 lakh.” Speaking about what she would do with such a huge amount of money, Udita revealed that she will donate a sum while giving the rest to her mother and let her decide. Udita revealed, “I have not thought about how I’ll spend the money. I’ll definitely donate a part of it to charity. The rest I’ll give my mother, let her decide.”
