The Indian men's hockey team is gearing up to continue its commendable performance at the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, which kicks off on September 23.
This comes after The International Hockey Federation (FIH) unveiled its latest world rankings on Monday, spotlighting the Indian men's hockey team's rise to the third position. This ascent marks India's grand re-entry into the top-3, a place they last occupied over a year ago before slipping in May 2022. The impressive climb can be attributed to their stellar performance at the Asian Champions Trophy 2023 held in Chennai, where they remained unbeaten.
India's campaign will get underway against Uzbekistan on September 24. They find themselves in Pool A, sharing the group with formidable teams like Pakistan, Japan, Bangladesh, Singapore, and Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, Pool B features Korea, Malaysia, China, Oman, Thailand, and Indonesia.
The tournament structure dictates that the top two teams from each pool will progress to the semifinals.
Harmanpreet Singh, who has been instrumental in the team's recent successes, will don the captain's armband, with Hardik playing the role of vice-captain.
Speaking about the team's preparation, Harmanpreet remarked, "The team has been rigorously preparing for the Asian Games and we performed well at the recently concluded Asian Champions Trophy Chennai, so the goal is to maintain that level of performance." He further added, "We have some tough opponents in our Pool, but we are confident in our preparation and hope to finish on the podium."
The squad for the Asian Games boasts a mix of experience and youth. The defence will be marshalled by stalwarts like PR Sreejesh, Krishan Pathak, Varun Kumar, Amit Rohidas, Jarmanpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, and Sanjay. The midfield sees the inclusion of Nilakanta Sharma, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Sumit, and Shamsher Singh. The attacking responsibilities will be shouldered by Abhishek, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay.
Vice-captain Hardik, echoing the team's sentiments, said, "We have had some tough practice sessions in the lead-up to the tournament and everyone in camp is focused, working towards the same goal." He further expressed the team's readiness, stating, "We are in the best possible mental and physical shape to travel to Hangzhou, and we are looking forward to the tough competition in our group."
India's subsequent group matches are against Singapore, Japan, and Pakistan on September 26, 28, and 30, respectively, culminating with a clash against Bangladesh on October 2.
