Hero HIL Women’s Auction: Agustina Gorzelany Goes for ₹42 Lakh as Argentine Stars Top the Bidding

The women’s side of the Hockey India League has its squads for 2026, and the bidding told one big story: if you’re Argentine, you’re getting paid.

Wednesday’s mini-auction in New Delhi saw the four franchises — Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers, JSW Soorma Hockey Club, Ranchi Royals and SG Pipers — work through a pool of more than 100 players with a ₹2 crore salary cap each. And when the dust settled, the top of the charts was an all-Argentina affair.

Agustina Gorzelany, ₹42 lakh. The headline act. The Argentine defender was chased hard by multiple franchises before the Bengal Tigers sealed it, making her the most expensive signing of the women’s auction. Defensive leadership and a serious drag-flick — that’s the package Bengal are paying for, and you can see why.

María José Granatto, ₹34 lakh. One of the most skillful forwards in the game, and JSW Soorma had to fight off Ranchi Royals and SG Pipers in a proper bidding war to land her. Soorma’s attack just got a lot more interesting.

Valentina Raposo, ₹30 lakh. Another Argentine defender, another big number, and again it’s the Bengal Tigers. Pair her with Gorzelany and that backline looks mean.

The Argentine spree says everything about how the league rates their hockey — Olympic champions, tactically sharp, technically brilliant. Franchises were happy to commit huge chunks of their budgets there.

The Indian stories

The best tale of the day belonged to Monika. Unsold in last season’s auction, the experienced midfielder sparked a fierce tussle between the Bengal Tigers and SG Pipers this time and went for ₹15 lakh, making her the costliest Indian player. Redemption stories don’t get cleaner than that.

Udita, last season’s costliest women’s player, went back to SG Pipers at her base price of ₹10 lakh — continuity for the Delhi franchise. And there’s a family storyline to love: Mahima Tete was bought at her base price of ₹2 lakh by JSW Soorma, where she joins her elder sister Salima Tete. Sisters running a midfield together is the kind of thing fans will be watching closely.

SG Pipers also spent big on defence: Spanish defender Lola Riera at ₹21 lakh alongside Udita, with veterans like Teresa Viana Ache and Cristina Cosentino for experience, and Navneet Kaur leading the line.

How the four squads look

Bengal Tigers bought the most aggressively — Gorzelany, Raposo and Monika, plus Vandana Katariya, Lalremsiami and Gurjit Kaur already in the ranks. They look like the team to beat.

JSW Soorma have Granatto’s magic, Sarah Robertson’s depth, and the Tete sisters’ midfield partnership. That one’s box office.

Ranchi Royals went for balance — Lucina Von Der Heyde, Agustina Albertarrio and Agostina Alonso from Argentina, with Nikki Pradhan and Sangita Kumari holding the Indian core.

SG Pipers built from the back — Udita, Riera, and Navneet Kaur up top. Solid across the pitch.

The women’s auction ran the same playbook as the men’s: spend big on proven overseas quality, lock in a reliable Indian core, and leave room for the juniors — Mahima Tete, Deepika, Kanika Siwach — to learn from the world’s best. When the season starts in January, the bidding will feel like a distant memory. The hockey won’t.

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