Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, May 9: Hockey India has announced a 20-man Indian Men’s Hockey team for the Asia Cup, which will take place in Jakarta, Indonesia from May 23 to June 1. India, Japan, Pakistan, and hosts Indonesia will compete in pool A, while Malaysia, Korea, Oman, and Bangladesh will compete in pool B.
Rupinder Pal Singh, an Olympic Bronze Medalist, will captain the defending champions, while Birendra Lakra will serve as Vice Captain. As many as ten players will make their senior India debut for the team. Yashdeep Siwach, Abhisek Lakra, Manjeet, Vishnukant Singh, and Uttam Singh are among the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup players.
Mareeswaren Sakthivel, Sheshe Gowda BM, Pawan Rajbhar, Abharan Sudev, and S Karthi will also be joining the team. Goalkeepers Pankaj Kumar Rajak and Suraj Karkera, as well as defenders Rupinder Pal Singh, Yashdeep Siwach, Abhisek Lakra, Birendra Lakra, Manjeet, Dipsan Tirkey, Vishnukant Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Mareeswaren Sakthivel, Sheshe Gowda BM and Simranjeet Singh, make up the Indian team. The squad also includes forwards Pawan Rajbhar, Abharan Sudev, SV Sunil, Uttam Singh, and S.Karthi.
Maninder Singh and Nilam Sanjeep Xess, both of whom played in the Junior World Cup, have been named as substitute players, while Pawan, Pardeep Singh, Ankit Pal, and Angad Bir Singh have been chosen as standbys.
Former India captain and two-time Olympian Sardar Singh, who will also serve as coach for the team, said the players had shown great promise during the national camp over the last several months.
