Hockey India has announced the 24-member men's hockey team that will tour Australia from August 15th to 21st in Perth. This four-match tour will serve as a crucial preparation for the Asia Cup, which is a World Cup Qualifier, to be held in Rajgir starting August 29th.
The team will be led by ace drag-flicker and defender Harmanpreet Singh. The squad includes a mix of experienced players and promising youngsters, with Karnataka's Poovanna CB being a fresh face in the defense.
The goalkeeping responsibilities will be handled by Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Suraj Karkera. The defensive lineup includes Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, Amit Rohidas, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Jugraj Singh, and Poovanna CB.
The midfield will be composed of Rajinder Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem, and Vishnu Kant Singh. Rajinder Singh is a talented young midfielder who has been compared to former India Captain Sardar Singh.
The forward line features Mandeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Selvam Karthi, and Aditya Lalage. Karthi Selvam makes a comeback to the squad. The forward from Tamil Nadu, who was a star attraction at the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy, is back in the team after missing out on subsequent squads. Aditya Lalage is another youngster who joins the forward line.
The team is currently training in Bengaluru at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) campus. They are scheduled to depart for Australia on August 8th.
According to Chief Coach Craig Fulton, the tour aims to fine-tune the team's preparations ahead of the Asia Cup. He emphasized the importance of improving physical conditioning and technical execution through quality training and warm-up matches. Fulton added that the inclusion of younger players would provide them with valuable exposure and allow the team to test different combinations under pressure. He sees this camp as a key opportunity to build individual and team momentum before competing at home.
