The Indian Men’s Hockey Team has been officially announced to compete in the upcoming FIH Hockey Pro League 2023-24, which is scheduled to take place in Antwerp, Belgium and London, England. This prestigious tournament will consist of two legs, with the Belgium leg set to occur from May 22 to May 30, and the England leg scheduled from June 1 to June 12.
Throughout the competition, India will go head-to-head with Argentina, Belgium, Germany, and Great Britain, playing each team twice. The team will commence their campaign against Argentina on May 22 and currently holds the 3rd position in the points table, having secured 15 points from eight matches, as per a Hockey India media statement.
The Indian Men’s Hockey Team will be led by Captain Harmanpreet Singh, with dynamic midfielder Hardik Singh serving as deputy. Goalkeeping duties will be manned by PR Sreejesh and Krishan Bahadur Pathak, while the defensive lineup includes Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay, Jugraj Singh, and Vishnukant Singh.
The midfield section will be commanded by players such as Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Manpreet Singh, Shamsher Singh, Hardik Singh, Rajkumar Pal, and Mohd. Raheel Mouseen. The forward line will feature Mandeep Singh, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Gurjant Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal, and Boby Singh Dhami.
Chief Coach Craig Fulton expressed his thoughts on the team selection, stating, “We have been training diligently and have developed a strong understanding of each other’s gameplay. Playing against top-quality teams ahead of the Paris Olympics will help us further improve as a team and as individual players. It will be a great way to assess our strengths and identify areas for improvement.”
Captain Harmanpreet Singh also shared his excitement, stating, “We are looking forward to the upcoming season in the Olympic year with the FIH Hockey Pro League, where we will compete against top-quality teams. Our squad has been carefully selected to provide players with exposure and will give me the opportunity to assess some of the players in competition mode ahead of the Paris Olympics. We underwent rigorous training sessions at the camp in SAI, Bengaluru, and are eager to showcase our improved skills in the upcoming matches.”
The Indian Men’s Hockey Team roster for the upcoming FIH Pro League 2023-24 is as follows:
– Goalkeepers: Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran, Krishan Bahadur Pathak
– Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay, Jugraj Singh, Vishnukant Singh
– Midfielders: Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Manpreet Singh, Shamsher Singh, Hardik Singh, Rajkumar Pal, Mohd. Raheel Mouseen
– Forwards: Mandeep Singh, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Gurjant Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Boby Singh Dhami
With the Indian Men’s Hockey Team gearing up for the FIH Pro League 2023-24, fans are eagerly anticipating an action-packed and thrilling competition as the team faces off against formidable opponents in their quest for victory.