New Delhi, 30th November 2023: Hockey India on Thursday announced the 24-member Indian Men’s Hockey Team for the upcoming 5 Nations Tournament Valencia 2023, scheduled to be held from 15th to 22nd December in Valencia, Spain.
India will play against hosts Spain, Germany, France and Belgium in the 5 Nations tournament, which will serve as the preparatory event ahead of the 2023-24 FIH Hockey Pro League games.
The 24-member squad features a mix of experienced and young faces, who will be led by ace drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh. Sumit and Amit Rohidas have been named as Harman’s deputies for this tour.
The goalkeeping department will see the return of Suraj Karkera to the squad, along with regular features PR Sreejesh and Krishan B Pathak. In defence, Captain Harmanpreet Singh will lead the charge alongside Jarmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Amit Rohidas, Varun Kumar, Sumit, Sanjay and Nilam Sanjeep Xess.
The midfield features Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, and young faces like Yashdeep Siwach and Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem.
Meanwhile, the forward line comprises Mandeep Singh, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Karthi Selvam, Dilpreet Singh and Akashdeep Singh.
Speaking on the team selection, Indian Men’s Hockey Team Chief Coach Craig Fulton said, “We are going with a well-balanced side with a good mix of youth and experience. The tournament provides us with a great platform to try out different things and adjust ourselves accordingly. It also provides the younger players with a great opportunity to showcase their talent and experience the pressure of facing the top teams in the world.”
“The next seven months are very important for us, we have a lot of games to play before the Paris 2024 Olympics, and it’s very important we follow a process and go step-by-step,” he added.
Indian Men’s Hockey Team for 5 Nations Tournament Valencia 2023
GOALKEEPERS
1. Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran
2. Krishan Bahadur Pathak
3. Suraj Karkera
DEFENDERS
4. Jarmanpreet Singh
5. Jugraj Singh
6. Amit Rohidas (VC)
7. Harmanpreet Singh (C)
8. Varun Kumar
9. Sumit (VC)
10. Sanjay
11. Nilam Sanjeep Xess
MIDFIELDERS
12. Yashdeep Siwach
13. Vivek Sagar Prasad
14. Nilakanta Sharma
15. Rajkumar Pal
16. Shamsher Singh
17. Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem
FORWARDS
18. Mandeep Singh
19. Abhishek
20. Sukhjeet Singh
21. Lalit Kumar Upadhyay
22. Karthi Selvam
23. Dilpreet Singh
24. Akashdeep Singh
Indian Men’s Team Schedule
- Friday, 15th December 2023: India vs Spain at 15:45 IST
- Saturday, 16th December 2023: India vs Belgium at at 15:45 IST
- Tuesday, 19th December 2023: India vs Germany at 13:30 IST
- Wednesday, 20th December 2023: India vs France at 13:30 IST
