Get ready for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025, as the Indian hockey team prepares to vie for glory in Malaysia. This highly anticipated tournament, running from November 23rd to 30th in Ipoh, will see India return to the competition after a hiatus since 2019. With a rich history of winning the cup five times, India stands as the second most successful nation in the tournament’s annals, highlighting their prowess in international hockey. The event, sanctioned by the FIH and hosted by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation, features a competitive field of six nations.
Coach Craig Fulton has selected a dynamic squad for this edition, prioritizing the development of younger players by resting key senior internationals. Star players such as Harmanpreet Singh, Manpreet, and Mandeep will not be part of the squad. In goal, young talents Pawan and Mohith HS have been entrusted with the crucial role, stepping up in the absence of the regular goalkeepers. The team will be marshaled by defender Sanjay as captain, supported by a lineup featuring the likes of Jugraj Singh, Amit Rohidas, Nilakanta Sharma, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Sukhjeet Singh, Dilpreet Singh, and Abhishek.
The tournament format is a comprehensive round-robin, ensuring every team, including India, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, Canada, and Belgium, gets to test their mettle against each other. The culmination of this phase will be the championship final on November 30th. Indian spectators can follow every thrilling match live as it will be streamed on the FanCode platform, accessible via their app and website.