373 players registered for trials, 223 took part; player draft for six franchise teams to be held in Raipur on October 8
TFP Bureau, Raipur, September 29,2026: As many as 130 players have been shortlisted for the inaugural season of the Chhattisgarh Hockey League (CHL) following a two-day selection trial at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium here.
A total of 373 players had registered for the trials, of whom 223 participated in the selection process. The players, drawn from different parts of Chhattisgarh, were assessed on their skills, performance and other prescribed selection criteria.
Deputy Chief Minister encourages players
Deputy Chief Minister and Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Arun Sao visited the stadium on both days of the trials. He watched the players in action, interacted with them and encouraged them to continue improving their skills through regular practice and hard work.
Mr. Sao said the completion of the selection trials marked an important step towards providing hockey players from Chhattisgarh with a competitive platform and opportunities to gain experience and advance their careers.
He congratulated the shortlisted players and wished them success in the upcoming player draft and the league.
Director of Sports and Youth Welfare Akanksha Shikha Khalkho, Chhattisgarh Hockey Association president Manish Srivastava and secretary Firoz Ansari were also present during the trials.
Six franchises to pick squads
The next stage of the league formation will be the CHL Player Draft, scheduled to be held in Raipur on October 8. The 130 shortlisted players will be available for selection by six franchise teams.
The franchises will pick their respective squads from the shortlisted pool, following which the teams for the inaugural season of the Chhattisgarh Hockey League will be finalised.
