Bhubaneswar: Three hockey players from Odisha – Amit Rohidas, Nilam Sanjeep Xess and Shilanand Lakra – feature in the 32-member Indian men’s squad for the FIH Pro League 2024-25 to held at Kalinga Hockey Stadium here from February 15 to 25.
Veteran drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh will lead the side as captain, with Hardik Singh as his deputy, the Hockey India announced on Thursday.
The Bhubaneswar leg will see seasoned players as well as promising young talents like Angad Bir Singh (22) and Arshdeep Singh (20), making their senior team debuts after impressive performances in the junior ranks and the ongoing Hockey India League.
“I’m very pleased with the team we’ve selected for the FIH Pro League matches in Bhubaneswar. This group has the potential to deliver strong performances, play cohesively, and showcase an exciting brand of hockey. I’m eager to begin training with them and aim to start the campaign on a positive note,” said Indian Men’s Team Head Coach Craig Fulton.
“Over the last few weeks, I’ve been closely observing these players and am excited to see them compete against some of the world’s top teams,” he added.
India will kick start its campaign with matches against Spain, Germany, Ireland and England, playing each team twice.
Full Squad
Goalkeepers: Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Suraj Karkera, Princedeep Singh
Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay, Jugraj Singh, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Varun Kumar, Yashdeep Siwach
Midfielders: Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh, Rajinder Singh
Forwards: Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh, Boby Singh Dhami, Shilanand Lakra, Dilpreet Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Uttam Singh, Angad Bir Singh, Arshdeep Singh