Hockey India names 27 possible core players for pre-Olympic training camp; striker Dilpreet missing
India’s Dilpreet Singh (left) celebrates with teammate Sumit after scoring a goal during the men’s field hockey match between Bangladesh and India at the Asian Championship Trophy tournament in Dhaka on December 15, 2021. | Photo credit: AFP
Hockey India on June 20 decided to rely on its proven performers and announced a 27-player list of the most likely core candidates of the men’s team for a pre-Olympic national training camp to be held from June 21 to July 8 at the SAI centre here.
India are placed in a difficult Group B at the Olympics along with Belgium, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland. The Tokyo Games bronze medallists will start their Olympic campaign against New Zealand on July 27.
The Indian team returns to the national training camp after a successful appearance in the FIH Hockey Pro League, where they are currently in fourth place with 24 points from 16 matches.
The core group includes goalkeepers Krishan Bahadur Pathak, PR Sreejesh, Suraj Karkera and defenders Harmanpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay and Amir Ali.
The midfielders called up include Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Sumit, Shamsher Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Rajkumar Pal, Vishnukant Singh, Akashdeep Singh and Mohammed Raheel Mouseen.
Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Abhishek, Dilpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Gurjant Singh, Bobby Singh Dhami and Araijeet Singh Hundal are the strikers who have been included.
It is noticeable that striker Dilpreet Singh is missing from the starting lineup.
Craig Fulton, head coach of the Indian men’s hockey team, believes that playing the Pro League against the best teams in the world was a great experience for his team.
“We want to start an important training block with this camp and we need to make sure we are in top shape ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The players have learned a lot from their games in the 2023/24 FIH Hockey Pro League,” he said.
“It has helped us to see where we need to improve. We have a lot of time to work on those areas. We have a strong mix of players who can win anything,” added the South African.
Indian men’s hockey team: 27-member core group
goalkeeper: Krishan Bahadur Pathak, PR Sreejesh, Suraj Karkera Defenders: Harmanpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Amir Ali
midfield playerCast: Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Sumit, Shamsher Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Rajkumar Pal, Vishnukant Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Mohammed Raheel Mousen
ForwardCast : Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Abhishek, Dilpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Gurjant Singh, Bobby Singh Dhami, Araijeet Singh Hundal.