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On October 14, the second day of the Hockey India League (HIL) Auction, Rajinder was heading back after pumping iron in SAI Bengaluru with teammates Vishnukant Singh and Yogember Rawat when his name was pulled out of the hat. He watched anxiously with his friends while UP Rudras and Hyderabad Toofans engaged in a bidding war for the young midfielder. Rajinder's excitement peaked when Hyderabad Toofans finally won the bid, securing him for 23 lakhs and marking the start of an exciting new chapter in his career.
"A few teams had already completed their squads by the time my name came up and I was a bit nervous but to my relief, Hyderabad Toofans raised the paddle and UP Rudras joined them. Every time both teams placed a bid for me, Vishnu and Rawat would scream 'party!' I am thrilled that I ended up in Hyderabad Toofans; they have a strong squad on paper and my seniors - Sumit and Nilakanta were also happy to have me," Rajinder recounted. "My parents had been waiting for a while for me to be up for bidding and were very happy to see that two teams saw good value in me. A lot of my friends and old coaches called, making it a sweet and memorable moment. With the money from the auction, I am planning to give my dad a 'wheelie', a customised car that he fancies," the 21-year-old added. According to a Hockey India release, the boy from Sant Nagar, Haryana began his journey in hockey courtesy of former Indian Men's Hockey Team Captain Sardar Singh. He grew up playing on pitch laid by Sardar at Namdhari Academy and even trained with the legendary midfielder when the Covid pandemic brought him back home. It was at this time that Rajinder grew close to his idol and engaged in daily battles with him; Sardar and the other former players would play on one team and Rajinder and the other Academy boys on the other. "I trained a lot with Sardar Singh during the lockdown. He made me focus heavily on receiving; how to beat players with your first touch and my backhand form. But the most important thing I learnt was by observing him, the way he would control the ball and know when to switch up to attack in the matches we played against the seniors is a very crucial skill for a midfielder. If they scored first they would control the game so well that we would end up running in circles," Rajinder recalled, according to the release. He used this experience to break into the Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team. Rajinder went on to play a crucial role in the 2022 Sultan of Johor Cup where they won the Gold medal and clinched another first place finish in the Men's Junior Asia Cup 2023. Just last month, Rajinder also made his debut for the Indian Men's Hockey Team during the PFC India vs Germany Bilateral Hockey Series 2024. As he is breaking into the Senior Core Group, Rajinder relishes the chance to gain valuable experience in the revamped HIL later this year. Hyderbad Toofans have secured the services of renowned drag flicker Gonzalo Peillat and Maico Casella. Additionally, FIH Player of the Year Award nominee Zach Wallace will accompany him in the midfield, along with Indian midfielder Nilakanta Sharma and defender Sumit. He is also eager to receive guidance from Hyderabad Toofans' head coach Pasha Gademan. "I have only heard great things about Pasha Gademan. His style is a little different compared to what we are accustomed to. He is seen employing a very aggressive press, like Germany usually do, even when they are a man down. I am especially looking forward to meeting Gonzalo Pelliat. He is one of the only players in the world who goes right foot over while drag flicking. It will be interesting to watch him closely and try to emulate him. We have a lot of drag flickers and a strong domestic squad, one of the most balanced squads in the league in my opinion. I cannot wait for the HIL to finally begin," he said, as quoted by a release from Hockey India. (ANI)
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