Hockey India on Thursday 19 May announced the 20-member Indian men’s hockey team, which will take on hosts Belgium and the Netherlands in the final leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2021-22 season. The Indian team, which is at the top of the current points table, is scheduled to take on Belgium in Antwerp on June 11 and 12, followed by the team India will play the Netherlands on June 18 and 19 in Rotterdam. The captaincy of this team has been handed over to Amit Rohidas, while Harmanpreet Singh will be the vice-captain.
Goalkeepers Suraj Karkera, PR Sreejesh, defenders Surendra Kumar, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh and Jarmanpreet Singh have been included in the 20-man squad selected for the FIH Hockey Pro League matches, while the experienced Manpreet Singh in midfield. Singh, Hardik Singh, Shamsher Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Akashdeep Singh and Neelkant Sharma. At the same time, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Sukhjit Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay and Abhishek have been included for the responsibility of the forward line.
Speaking about the team selection, Graham Reid, head coach of the Indian men’s hockey team said, “This is the most important phase of the FIH Hockey Pro League, with matches against the world’s top teams at their home ground. The matches have to build our momentum. During our national camp at SAI Bengaluru we had time to prepare for the league and we are focused on doing better in Europe. The team has remained more or less the same no matter what. Not a big change.”
Indian hockey team is as follows
Goalkeepers: Suraj Karkera and Sreejesh Parattu Ravindran
Defenders: Surendra Kumar, Harmanpreet Singh (Vice Captain), Varun Kumar, Amit Rohidas (Captain), Jugraj Singh and Jarmanpreet Singh
Midfielders: Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Shamsher Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Akashdeep Singh and Neelkant Sharma
Forwards: Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Sukhjit Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay and Abhishek