Raghunath eager to learn from hil teammate teun

For dragflick specialist V R Raghunath, the upcoming Hockey India League (HIL) provides him with an opportunity to pick up a few nuances of the game from legendary Dutchman Teun De Nooijer when the two play together for the Uttar Pradesh Wizards. Raghunath grabbed eyeballs when he fetched a whopping USD 76,000 at the inaugural HIL players’ auctions last month, becoming one of the most expensive buys of the event to be held from January 14 to February 10. ‘His (De Nooijer) presence matters a lot. The amount of experience he is bringing to the league is great. He can control the team with his experiece and it’s good to be playing alongside him,’ Raghunath said. ‘I want to learn how he manages himself such a long hockey career. I want to know about his fitness, his style of play among others. There are many things you can learn from him. It’s good to share the dug out with him. I am happy that he is part of our team,’ added the 24-year-old Bangalorean.Nooijer, three-time FIH World Player of the Year, has been signed as one of the brand ambassadors for the HIL along with three-time Olympic medalist Jamie Dwyer of Australia and India skipper Sardar Singh. De Nooijer, 36, is the highest capped player in the world who represented Netherlands in 453 matches. Raghunath admitted that he was rewarded for his consistent performance throughout the year, especially in the Asian Champions Trophy. ‘I was expecting a good price but there was a fight between Delhi and UP franchises. I am 100 per cent satified with the price.’