Harmanpreet Singh, the leading goal scorer in the FIH Pro League, will lead a 24-member strong squad when the Indian men’s hockey team travel to Spain for the Four Nations tournament, Hockey India announced on Friday.
India will play against England, current Pro League champions Netherlands, and hosts Spain in the Four Nation tournament, to be held between July 25-30, and will serve as preparation for the Indian team ahead of the Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023, which will be followed by the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023.
The Indian women’s team will also participate at the same tournament, playing against Spain, South Africa and England.
The team will continue to be led by defender Harmanpreet Singh and vice captained by midfielder Hardik Singh.
The goalkeeping department will be entrusted to the duo of PR Sreejesh and Krishan Bahadur Pathak, while joining Harmanpreet in the defenders’ list is Amit Rohidas, Jarmanpreet Singh, Manpreet Singh and Sanjay. Also, defenders Varun Kumar and Nilam Sanjeep Xess, who missed the FIH Pro League matches in Belgium, have been named in the team.
Meanwhile, the midfield will be controlled by the energetic and dynamic players like Vivek Sagar Prasad, Shamsher Singh, Raj Kumar Pal. Moreover, Sumit and Nilakanta Sharma are back in the squad after missing the FIH Pro League matches in Belgium.
The forward line comprises of Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Abhishek, Pawan, Dilpreet Singh, Simranjeet Singh, and Karthi Selvam.
Speaking on the team selection, India coach Craig Fulton said, “We have carefully chosen a balanced squad that brings together experience and youthful energy. Our aim is to create a cohesive unit that can compete at the highest level.”
He added that, “The Four Nation tournament in Spain will provide us with the perfect platform to fine-tune our strategies and test our skills against top-quality opposition. It will help us identify areas that need improvement, thus playing a vital role in our preparations for the Asian Champions Trophy and the Asian Games. We are confident that this exposure will enhance our performance and help us gear up for the challenges that lie ahead.”
Indian men’s squad for Four-Nations tournament in Spain:
Goalkepers: PR Sreejesh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak
Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Manpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh (C), Varun Kumar, Sanjay
Midfielders: Hardik Singh (VC), Vivek Sagar Prasad, Sumit, Nilakanta Sharma, Shamsher Singh, Rajkumar Pal
Forwards: Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Abhishek, Pawan, Dilpreet Singh, Simranjeet Singh, Karthi Selvam
Schedule for the Four Nations tournament
Tuesday, July 25 at 11:30pm IST - India M vs Spain
Wednesday, July 26 at 9:30pm IST - India M vs Netherlands
Friday, July 28 at 4:30pm IST - India M vs England
Sunday, July 30 at 4:30pm IST - Final