SportsHockey
India keep Asian Games gold squad for home Asian Champions Trophy in Punjab
Harmanpreet Singh will lead the defending champions in Jalandhar and Mohali, with goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak back and two young players added.
Key points
- India have kept the core of the side that won Asian Games gold in Japan.
- Defender Amandeep Lakra and midfielder Aditya Arjun Lalage are the new faces.
- The tournament runs from 27 October to 5 November in Jalandhar and Mohali.
India have kept faith with the team that won Asian Games gold for the men’s hockey Asian Champions Trophy, which they will host in Punjab from 27 October to 5 November.
Harmanpreet Singh, who captained India to the continental title in Japan and with it a place at the Los Angeles Olympics, will lead an 18-member squad with two reserves. India are the defending champions and have won the Asian Champions Trophy five times.
The league stage will be played at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar, which also hosts the opening ceremony, from 27 October to 2 November. The semi-finals on 4 November and the medal matches a day later move to the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali.
Who is in
Goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak returns after missing the Asian Games and will share duties with Suraj Karkera. The two new names are young defender Amandeep Lakra and midfielder Aditya Arjun Lalage.
Chief coach Craig Fulton said playing the tournament in Punjab would be “something special”, and that the squad “blends youth with experience”.
Goalkeepers: Suraj Karkera, Krishan Bahadur Pathak
Defenders: Sanjay, Harmanpreet Singh (captain), Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amandeep Lakra
Midfielders: Rajinder Singh, Aditya Arjun Lalage, Nilakanta Sharma, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh
Forwards: Shilanand Lakra, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh
Reserves: Vishnu Kant Singh, Angad Bir Singh