Defending champions Shrachi Bengal Tigers began their Men’s Hero Hockey India League (HIL) 2025–26 campaign in assured fashion, registering a 3–1 victory over JSW Soorma Hockey Club at the iconic Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium, Egmore, on Friday.
A clinical second-half display, highlighted by goals from Sukhjeet Singh, Abhishek and Gursewak Singh, ensured the Tigers opened their title defence with three valuable points. The match began at a measured pace, with both sides keen to establish rhythm in the opening quarter. JSW Soorma looked to stretch the Tigers’ defensive structure through quick switches of play and long diagonal balls, aiming to exploit space behind the backline. The Tigers, in contrast, relied on swift counter-attacks and well-timed aerial balls into the circle. Despite positive early movement from Nicolas Poncelet and Tommy Willems for Soorma, clear-cut chances were hard to come by, and the first quarter ended goalless.
Shrachi Bengal Tigers began to assert greater control in the second quarter, dominating possession and pushing Soorma deeper into their half. Abhishek was particularly lively in the attacking circle, earning multiple penalty corners with his sharp movement and close control. However, Soorma goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch stood tall, producing a series of fine saves to keep his side in the contest. His reflexes were on full display late in the half, when he pulled off a crucial double save to deny the Tigers and ensure the teams went into the break locked at 0–0.
The breakthrough arrived early in the third quarter, and it came from a familiar source. Off a penalty corner, Tom Grambusch’s powerful flick was expertly deflected into the net by Sukhjeet Singh in the 33rd minute, finally breaking the deadlock. The goal injected confidence into the Tigers, who began to play with greater freedom and intent, pressing high and forcing turnovers in midfield.
Their pressure told once again later in the quarter when Abhishek doubled the lead with a moment of individual brilliance. Showing strength and composure inside the circle, he held off his marker before unleashing a fierce reverse-stick shot from a tight angle that beat Vanasch at his near post. The goal underlined Abhishek’s growing influence and gave the Tigers a commanding 2–0 advantage heading into the final quarter.
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JSW Soorma responded with urgency in the closing stages of the match, pushing numbers forward in search of a way back. Their persistence was rewarded in the 54th minute, when Prabhjot Singh finished off a well-worked passing move to reduce the deficit to 2–1. The goal briefly shifted momentum and set up a tense finish, with Soorma sensing an opportunity to snatch a point.
However, the Tigers remained composed under pressure. As Soorma committed bodies forward and eventually took off their goalkeeper in the dying moments, Shrachi Bengal Tigers exploited the space left behind. In the final minute, Abhishek intercepted possession in midfield and selflessly squared the ball to Gursewak Singh, who calmly rolled it into an empty net in the 60th minute, sealing the contest and extinguishing Soorma’s hopes of a late comeback.
The victory was a reflection of the Tigers’ balance between defensive discipline and attacking efficiency, hallmarks of their championship-winning campaign last season. Sukhjeet Singh, who opened the scoring and was a constant threat throughout, was deservedly named Player of the Match for his influential performance.
With this result, Shrachi Bengal Tigers sent a clear message to the rest of the league as they began their title defence with authority. JSW Soorma, meanwhile, will take positives from their late push and the resilience shown by their defence, particularly in the first half.
All matches of the Hero Hockey India League are being broadcast live on Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 3, and DD Sports, with live streaming available on Waves and the Hockey India League YouTube channel.
