India Announces 18-Member Squad for Asian Champions Trophy 2024

New Delhi - Hockey India has announced the 18-member squad for the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy, set to take place from September 8 to 17 in Hulunbuir, China. The Indian team, which is the defending champion, will be led by the seasoned drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh, with experienced midfielder Vivek Sagar Prasad serving as the vice-captain.

The tournament will see Asia's top hockey-playing nations—India, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Japan, and host China—competing for the prestigious title.

The team selection has been made with a careful balance of experience and youth. Ten players from the bronze medal-winning squad of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are part of the team. Notably, key players like Hardik Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Upadhyay, Shamsher Singh, and Gurjant Singh have been rested for this tournament.

Head Coach Craig Fulton emphasized the importance of this tournament for India, saying, "This is a crucial campaign for us to improve our ranking points. After celebrating our performance in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the team has returned to camp. The past few weeks have been truly incredible with the love and appreciation we've received, and we hope this support continues in our future campaigns."

He added, "Our new Olympic cycle begins with the Asian Champions Trophy, and we are ready for the challenge. We've rested some of the players who competed in Paris, but we've also included some young players who have performed well in training and earned their place in the team. Gurjot will make his international debut, and I believe this is a fantastic opportunity for the youngsters to shine. As a team, we want to maintain our dominance in the Asian continent, and we will go to China to defend our title."

The Indian team will kick off their campaign on September 8 with a match against China, followed by a clash against Japan on September 9. After a day's rest, they will face Malaysia on September 11 and Korea on September 12.

After another break, India will play against Pakistan on September 14, with the semifinals and finals scheduled for September 16 and 17, respectively.

Indian Men's Hockey Team:

- Goalkeepers: Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Suraj Karkera.
- Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh (Captain), Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Sumit.
- Midfielders: Raj Kumar Pal, Neelakanta Sharma, Vivek Sagar Prasad (Vice-Captain), Manpreet Singh, Mohammad Raheel Mousin.
- Forwards: Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Arijit Singh Hundal, Uttam Singh, Gurjot Singh.