NEW DELHI: India has announced a 20 member squad for next month’s FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup, with defender Harmanpreet Singh set to lead the side as it aims to end a long wait for World Cup success.
The squad has been trimmed from the 24 players who featured in the European leg of the FIH Pro League, with defender Amandeep Lakra, midfielders Raj Kumar Pal and Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem, and forward Selvam Karthi missing out because of the tournament’s squad size restrictions.
India will head into the World Cup looking to bounce back from a disappointing Pro League campaign, where the team finished eighth among nine nations after registering four wins, five draws and seven defeats.
The team will also be hoping to improve its recent World Cup record. India finished ninth in the 2023 edition and has not won a medal since lifting its only Hockey World Cup title in 1975. Earlier, the country claimed bronze in 1971 and silver in 1973.
Harmanpreet, one of the world’s leading drag flick specialists, will captain the team after guiding India to consecutive Olympic bronze medals at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. Veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh, India’s most capped player, adds valuable experience to a squad that also includes several promising young talents.
The goalkeeping responsibilities will be shared by Mohith HS and Suraj Karkera. The defence includes Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Sumit and Yashdeep Siwach alongside captain Harmanpreet.
The midfield features Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Rajinder Singh and Aditya Arjun Lalage, while the forward line consists of Mandeep Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh and Shilanand Lakra.
India has been placed in Pool D with England, Pakistan and Wales. The team will begin its campaign against Wales on August 15, followed by matches against England on August 17 and arch rivals Pakistan on August 19 in Amstelveen, the Netherlands.
Chief coach Craig Fulton described the squad as a balanced combination of experienced campaigners and in form youngsters, expressing confidence that the team has the quality to create a memorable chapter in Indian hockey history as it marks 50 years since its historic 1975 World Cup triumph.
