Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons, the Chennai-based franchise in the men’s Hockey India League (HIL), finished sixth of eight in the 2026 season with 10 points from seven games, according to Hockey India’s official standings. A season earlier they had reached the semi-finals and lost only in a shootout.
The 2026 edition brought league matches to Chennai, with the Dragons opening the season at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Egmore. Here is what residents need to know about the team: who runs it on the field, who plays for it, how the last two seasons went, and what to watch for next.
The team and its people
Hockey India’s team page for the 2026 season lists Australian Tim White as head coach, with Daniel Mitchell as assistant coach and Vickram Kanth as team manager. India defender Amit Rohidas is captain.
The 20-man squad mixed India internationals with experienced overseas players. Among them:
- Goalkeepers David Harte (Ireland) and Prince Deep Singh
- Defenders and midfielders including Amit Rohidas, Sander de Wijn, Nathan Ephraums, Mohammed Raheel, Shesha Gowda and Sushil Dhanwar
- Forwards including Blake Govers, Uttam Singh, Selvaraj Kanagaraj, Karthi Selvam, Thomas Sorsby and Tom Craig
Blake Govers was the team’s top scorer with six goals, followed by Uttam Singh with three. Karthi Selvam, Selvaraj Kanagaraj and Thomas Sorsby scored two each. Prince Deep Singh was named Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament, an award that carried Rs 10 lakh, according to the FIH’s report on the final.
The 2026 season, match by match
The 2026 men’s HIL ran from 3 to 26 January across three cities: Chennai, Ranchi and Bhubaneswar. The Dragons opened at home, playing their first three games in Egmore.
| Date | Opponent | Score | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jan | Hyderabad Toofans | 3-3, Dragons won shootout 4-2 | Chennai |
| 6 Jan | JSW Soorma Hockey Club | Won 3-2 | Chennai |
| 9 Jan | SG Pipers | 4-4, Dragons won shootout 5-4 | Chennai |
| 12 Jan | HIL GC | Lost 2-4 | Ranchi |
| 13 Jan | Bengal Tigers | Lost 3-5 | Ranchi |
| 18 Jan | Kalinga Lancers | 1-1, lost shootout | Bhubaneswar |
| 21 Jan | Ranchi Royals | 3-3, Dragons won shootout | Bhubaneswar |
The home leg was the high point. After edging Hyderabad on penalties, the Dragons beat JSW Soorma 3-2 on 6 January with goals from Selvaraj Kanagaraj, Uttam Singh and Blake Govers, which took them to the top of the table, RevSportz reported. Harmanpreet Singh scored for Soorma late on, but the Dragons held out.
The trip north was harder. Two straight defeats followed, and although the Dragons drew their last two games and collected shootout points, the final standings show one regulation win, three shootout wins, one shootout loss and two defeats. That was not enough for the top four. Vedanta Kalinga Lancers beat Ranchi Royals 3-2 in the final on 26 January to take the title and Rs 3 crore in prize money, with Hyderabad Toofans third.
The prize money shows how the league rewards the top end. According to the FIH, the champions received Rs 3 crore, the runners-up Rs 2 crore and the third-placed side Rs 1 crore. Ranchi Royals captain Tom Boon was the season’s top scorer with 19 goals, and Hyderabad’s Amandeep Lakra was named player of the tournament. For the Dragons, the gap to fourth place was just one point, which means a single extra shootout win would have changed their season.
The 2024-25 season: a shootout away from the final
The previous season, played from 28 December 2024 to 1 February 2025 in Rourkela and Ranchi, went better. The Dragons finished fourth in the eight-team table with 18 points from 10 games, level on points with Hyderabad Toofans, according to Hockey India’s standings. They clinched the last semi-final place with a 2-2 draw against UP Rudras in Rourkela, The Tribune reported, with Jip Janssen and Thomas Sorsby scoring.
In the semi-final, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers twice came from behind to draw 2-2 and then won the shootout 6-5, All India Radio reported. The Tigers went on to meet Hyderabad in the final.
Watching the Dragons in Chennai
The Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium is in Egmore, close to Egmore railway station, which makes it one of the easier venues in the city to reach by train or bus. The HIL has not announced a 2026-27 schedule in the sources we checked, so it is not yet known whether Chennai will host a leg again. The league’s official site and Hockey India’s social channels are the places to watch for fixtures and ticket sales.
Quick answers
Where do Tamil Nadu Dragons play their home matches?
In 2026 they played three matches at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium, Egmore.
Who is the Tamil Nadu Dragons captain and coach?
Amit Rohidas captains the side; Tim White is head coach.
How did the Dragons do in HIL 2026?
Sixth of eight with 10 points; they did not reach the final four.
Have the Dragons won the HIL?
Not yet. Their best finish so far is a semi-final in 2024-25.
Information checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons team page, Hero HIL 2026 (Hockey India / Altius)
- Hero Hockey India League 2026 (Men’s) pool standings (Hockey India / Altius)
- Hero Hockey India League 2024-25 (Men) pool standings (Hockey India / Altius)
- Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons go top with 3-2 win over JSW Soorma Hockey Club (RevSportz)
- Vedanta Kalinga Lancers beat Ranchi Royals 3-2 in the final (FIH)
- Hyderabad Toofans reach Hockey India League final (News on AIR)
- Tamil Nadu Dragons secure last semifinal spot (The Tribune)
