Colin Batch Excited About Coaching Stint at Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers
Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers made all and sundry sit up and take notice of them when they announced the appointment of ace Australian men’s hockey team coach Colin Batch to take over the coaching reins of the Kolkata franchise. The 66-year-old Australian did not make an in-person presence during the Hockey India League (HIL) players’ auction, but was very much in the scheme of things, in terms of strategizing and planning the bidding roadmap. “We had engaged in discussions virtually with my team before the players’ auction. On the auction day, I was interacting and offering my inputs on WhatsApp. We obviously had worked on our plans but as you know things can easily change because some players that you may want might go to another franchise. It was good fun watching it online, says Batch in an exclusive chat with Hockey Passion.
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Batch, who had served as the Australian men’s hockey team coach between December 2016 till August 2024, believes his in-person absence from the players’ auction actually worked well for him. “I think it was probably easier for me to watch it online rather than being in the auction room as tension can build up. If you want one player and you’ve got to keep bidding for that one player, and then the price can go up pretty quickly. As a player, it would be nice to be drawn early because you’ve got a chance of bagging good money as opposed to later when there’s not much money around. We saw some good players weren’t picked up,” he says.
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Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers wear a formidable look with the emerging Indian forward duo of Abhishek, and Sukhjeet Singh, alongside overseas forwards -Belgium’s Florent van Aubel and New Zealand’s Sam Lane as well as India’s Affan Yousuf. The Kolkata franchise has experienced Netherlands goalkeeper Pirmin Blaak in their mix with the likes of Belgium’s Gauthier Boccard, Germany’s Tom Grambusch, Australia’s Hayden Beltz and India’s Jugraj Singh forming the defence team. Former Indian players Rupinder Pal Singh and Jasjit Singh Kular are also part of the deep defence. Their midfield comprise Australia’s Lachlan Sharp and New Zealand’s Sean Findlay alongside hard-working Indian midfielders Jaskaran Singh and Pardeep Mor.
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Batch, who has also previously served as coaches of the Belgium and New Zealand men hockey teams, sounded chuffed with the players they were able to buy. “We have so many players that have come from different backgrounds and experience and that will help. There are talented players across all teams but what is important that we play together as a team. I’m hoping we can achieve that,” he says on a pragmatic note.
Prod him on whether the Bengal Tigers had zeroed in on any specific player during the auction, Batch shares his perspective. “You always like to have the best guys in your mix but then the price goes too high because if you spend too much on one player, then your budget is strained for the other players. We’re very happy with what we’ve got.”
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The Aussie is expected to arrive in early December to take charge of the team. “We would have a camp in Kolkata in early December before we head to Rourkela. I’m really excited about this HIL journey with the Bengal Tigers,” he wraps up the conversation teeming with excitement.
