Hockey India has recently unveiled the roster for the upcoming Junior Men’s Hockey Team European tour, slated to take place from May 20th to May 29th. The team will be pitted against formidable competition from Belgium, Germany, and a Dutch club team known as Bredase Hockey Vereniging Push.
The tour is an integral part of Hockey India’s commitment to providing the team with valuable international exposure and enhancing their overall experience. The Indian Junior Men’s Hockey team will commence their matches on May 20th in Antwerp, Belgium, where they will compete against Belgium. They will then encounter the same opponents in Breda, Netherlands on May 22nd. Subsequently, the team is scheduled to take on the Netherlands’ Club team Bredase Hockey Vereniging Push in Breda on May 23rd, followed by a match against Germany on May 28th. The tour will culminate with a final encounter against Germany once again on May 29th.
Under the leadership of defender Rohit and vice-captain Shardanand Tiwari, the team includes goalkeepers Prince Deep Singh and Bikramjit Singh, defenders Shardanand Tiwari, Yogember Rawat, Anmol Ekka, Rohit, Manoj Yadav, and Talem Priyo Barta, midfielders Ankit Pal, Roshan Kujur, Bipin Billavara Ravi, Mukesh Toppo, Manmeet Singh, and Vachan H A, as well as forwards Sourabh Anand Kushwaha, Arshdeep Singh, Gurjot Singh, Mohd. Konain Dad, Dilraj Singh, and Gursewak Singh.
The team members have expressed their enthusiasm and determination for the upcoming tour. Skipper Rohit emphasised the significance of the team’s collective efforts, stating, “We have been training rigorously at our camp and have developed an understanding of each other’s gameplay. It will be gratifying to compete together against teams from other nations, enabling us to refine our game and elevate our performance through this exposure.”
Meanwhile, Vice-Captain Shardanand Tiwari articulated his excitement, underscoring the tour as an exceptional opportunity for the team to evaluate their strengths and areas for improvement. He stated, “This will be an enlightening experience and will be instrumental in assessing where we stand as a team and as individual players. It will be an effective avenue to identify our strengths and the areas we need to address.”
The tour is expected to furnish the young athletes with invaluable international exposure, contributing to their holistic development and skill enhancement. As the Junior Men’s Hockey team readies for this exhilarating European tour, they are unequivocally positioned to exhibit their talent and perpetuate India’s proud legacy on the global stage.