Megastar midfielder and Olympic bronze medal-winning captain Manpreet Singh will lead a 20-member sturdy Indian hockey workforce within the double-leg FIH Professional League ties in opposition to South Africa and France to be held between February 8 to 13.
Manpreet can be assisted through ace dragflicker Harmanpreet Singh.
Younger dragflicker Jugraj Singh and striker Abhishek are the 2 new faces within the squad.
Jugraj, who’s from Attari, got here into the senior nationwide camp for the first actual time this time after he inspired the nationwide selectors all over the primary Hockey India Senior Males Inter Division Nationwide Championship, the place he became up for Services and products Sports activities Keep watch over Board.
Abhishek, then again, is a striker who used to be previous a part of the junior program and had performed for the India colts in Sultan of Johor Cup in 2017 and 2018.
From Sonepat, Haryana, Abhishek additionally did neatly for Punjab Nationwide Financial institution within the maiden Senior Males Inter Division Nationwide Championship which helped him earn a place within the senior nationwide camp for the primary time.
The 20-member squad additionally comprises goalkeepers PR Sreejesh and Krishan Bahadur Pathak; defenders Harmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Surender Kumar, Varun Kumar, Jarmanpreet Singh and Jugraj.
The midfield can be beneath the watchful eyes of Manpreet and in addition comprises Nilakanta Sharma, Hardik Singh, Jaskaran Singh, Shamsher Singh and Vivek Sagar Prasad.
The ahead line comprises Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Akashdeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Dilpreet Singh and Abhishek.
“After a three-week camp in Bengaluru, a workforce has been decided on that incorporates 14 Tokyo Olympians and two debutants,” India’s leader trainer Graham Reid mentioned in a observation.
Retaining in thoughts the Covid-19 pandemic, India will commute with 4 further gamers but even so retaining 5 stand-byes in hand.
“Now we have attempted to make a choice an skilled team that won’t handiest give us a good chance to begin this season of the FIH Hockey Professional League in a favorable approach, it displays the top of the range of opposition we can come upon within the opening video games.
“We also are the use of this chance to debut two new gamers. Jugraj Singh, a flexible defender/midfielder who provides to our dragflick choices and Abhishek is a sturdy, speedy striker who loves scoring objectives,” the Australian added.
The Indian workforce will go away for South Africa from Bengaluru on February 4.
India will play France of their first event on February 8 earlier than squaring off in opposition to hosts South Africa day after today.
The Indians will once more play France on February 12 after which end off their engagements in opposition to South Africa day after today.
Each the two-match ties can be held at Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Indian hockey squad:
Goalkeepers: P R Sreejesh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak.
Defenders: Harmanpreet Singh (Vice-captain), Amit Rohidas, Surender Kumar, Varun Kumar, Jarmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh.
Midfielders: Manpreet Singh (Captain), Nilakanta Sharma, Hardik Singh, Jaskaran Singh, Shamsher Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad.
Forwards: Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Akashdeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Dilpreet Singh, Abhishek.
Standbys: Suraj Karkera, Mandeep Mor, Raj Kumar Friend, Sumit, Gursahibjit Singh.