Vedanta Kalinga Lancers Strengthen Squad Ahead of Hero Hockey India League 2026
~ Aussie duo Cooper Burns and Liam Henderson among the expensive acquisitions at the auction ~
New Delhi/Bhubaneswar; September 24, 2025: Vedanta Kalinga Lancers celebrated a successful outing at the Hero Hockey India League auction, making key additions to their squad for the new season, scheduled to take place in January 2026.
With three Indian and four overseas slots to fill, Vedanta Kalinga Lancers began proceedings by acquiring Australian goalkeeper Jed Snowden for Rs. 10 lakh. The 24-year-old made his senior team debut earlier this year and was part of Australia’s recent Oceania Cup title-winning team.
The franchise then picked up local talent Amit Kumar Toppo at his base price of Rs. 2 lakh. He was a member of Odisha’s maiden title-winning team at the Men’s Senior Hockey National Championship 2024. After a competitive bidding war with Delhi SG Pipers, the Lancers secured Australian forward Cooper Burns for Rs. 34.5 lakh. The 23-year-old, named Most Valued Player in Hockey Australia’s League, made his senior team debut in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024–25.
Sunil PB, a rising talent in the Indian junior men’s setup, was signed for Rs. 2 lakh. He was part of Karnataka’s gold medal–winning team at the National Games earlier this year and has recently been selected for India’s junior squad for the upcoming Sultan of Johor Cup.
Craig Marais became the team’s third overseas acquisition, signed for Rs. 10 lakh. He made his senior team debut for Australia in 2024 and has been a regular feature since.
After another intense bidding battle with Delhi, the Lancers brought in Australian midfielder Liam Henderson for Rs. 42 lakh, making him their top buy at the auction. Henderson, currently part of Australia’s core group, was also a key contributor to their recent Oceania Cup triumph.
Boby Singh Dhami, who was part of the Lancers last season, was reacquired for Rs. 10 lakh, completing the squad for the upcoming season.
Heading into the auction, the franchise had retained 13 players, including three overseas stars. The team’s retained core features a mix of international talent and Indian standouts from recent victories, providing a strong foundation for the new season. Rising stars who impressed last season have also been retained, ensuring continuity and growth.
Speaking on the squad composition, Rajiv Kumar, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “The HIL auction has allowed us to strengthen our squad with precision and purpose. Our approach focused on retaining the core strengths while strategically adding players to address key areas of opportunity. The team we have built is balanced, competitive, and ready to perform at the highest level. As we head into the new season, our goal is clear: to compete with determination and aim for the championship.”
Team Manager Subbaiah said, ” We had our core players retained from the previous season and just needed to fill the remaining slots. The players we have brought in are solid, talented, and have been performing well in their respective careers.”
Assistant Coach Kariappa added, “Half of our job was already done by retaining the core team from last year, and we have managed to get the players we wanted. We are really happy with the outcome and are looking forward to working with these players and this wonderful franchise.”
Vedanta Kalinga Lancers Full Squad for Hero HIL 2026
Indian: Krishan B Pathak (Goalkeeper), Sanjay (Defender), Partap Lakra (Defender), Rohit Kullu (Defender), Rabichandra Moirangthem (Midfielder), Rosan Kujur (Midfielder), Dilpreet Singh (Midfielder), Angab Bir Singh (Forward), Deepak Pradhan (Forward), Gursahibjit Singh (Forward), Amit Kumar Toppo (Midfielder), Sunil P B (Defender), Boby Singh Dhami (Forward)
Overseas: Alexander Hendrickx (Defender), Arthur Van Doren (Defender), Antoine Kina (Midfielder), Jed Snowden (Goalkeeper), Cooper Burn (Forward), Craig Marais (Forward), Liam Henderson (Midfielder)
