New Delhi: Experienced defender Amit Rohidas from Odisha has been named in the 26-member squad for the upcoming four nation tour in Cape Town, South Africa, scheduled to commence on January 22, as announced by Hockey India on Wednesday. The tournament will witness the participation of France, Netherlands, India, and the host nation South Africa.
Harmanpreet Singh will lead the Indian team, while FIH Player of the Year awardee Hardik Singh will serve as the vice-captain. The squad introduces young talents Araijeet Singh Hundal and Boby Singh Dhami, recognized for their outstanding performances with the junior side.
The goalkeeping trio of PR Sreejesh, Krishan Pathak, and Pawan will be joined by defenders Jarmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Sumit, Sanjay, and Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem. Midfielders include Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Vishnukant Singh, Hardik Singh, and Manpreet Singh. The forward line features Mandeep Singh, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Gurjant Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Akashdeep Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal, and Boby Singh Dhami.
Chief Coach Craig Fulton expressed enthusiasm about the South Africa Tour, emphasizing the significance of playing against high-quality teams in the Olympic year. The larger squad aims to provide exposure to players and enables the coaching staff to evaluate them in a competitive setting ahead of the FIH Hockey Pro League. A brief camp in SAI, Bengaluru, is planned before the team departs for the Tour. The inclusion of two young players in the senior side adds an intriguing element as they step up to the challenges of elite-level competition.
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