May 9th 2024.
The Indian hockey team is gearing up for the upcoming Europe leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League, and all eyes are on captain Harmanpreet Singh and his 24-member squad. They will be facing off against some tough opponents, with a total of eight matches scheduled against Argentina, Belgium, Germany, and Great Britain. This will be split into two legs, with the first leg taking place in Antwerp, Belgium from May 22-30, followed by the second leg in London from June 1-12.
For India, this tournament will serve as a crucial dress rehearsal for the highly anticipated Olympics, which are set to begin on July 26 in Paris. Head coach Craig Fulton is looking forward to this opportunity to fine-tune his team and make any necessary adjustments before the big event. India is currently ranked third in the Pro League standings, with 15 points from eight matches, trailing behind the Netherlands and Australia.
Fulton expressed his confidence in the team, stating that they have been training hard and have developed a good understanding of each other's gameplay. He believes that playing against top-quality teams will only help the players improve and prepare for the Olympics. Captain Harmanpreet also shared the same sentiment, saying that the team is excited to kick off the season in this Olympic year with tough competition in the FIH Hockey Pro League.
The team selection was done with the intention of giving players exposure and allowing the captain to see how they perform in a competitive setting. Harmanpreet's deputy will be dynamic midfielder Hardik Singh, while the experienced PR Sreejesh and Krishan Bahadur Pathak will take on the goalkeeping duties. The defensive line will consist of Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay, Jugraj Singh, and Vishnukant Singh. The midfield section will be led by Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Manpreet Singh, Shamsher Singh, Hardik Singh, Rajkumar Pal, and Mohammed Raheel Mouseen.
The forward line is equally impressive, with players like Mandeep Singh, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Gurjant Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal, and Boby Singh Dhami. With such a strong and well-balanced team, India is ready to take on the challenges in the FIH Hockey Pro League and use it as a platform to evaluate their strengths and areas for improvement.
The squad is a perfect mix of experience and young talent, and the team is eager to showcase their skills and make their country proud. Everyone is eagerly waiting for the tournament to begin, and it will undoubtedly be an exciting and crucial step towards the ultimate goal of winning the gold at the Paris Olympics.
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