Hockey India announces 24-member Indian men’s hockey team for 5-nation Valencia 2023 tournament

India will play against hosts Spain, Germany, France and Belgium in the 5 Nations tournament, which will serve as preparation for the 2023-2024 FIH Hockey Pro League matches.

New Delhi: Hockey India on Thursday announced the 24-member Indian men’s hockey team for the upcoming 5 Nations Tournament Valencia 2023 to be held in Valencia, Spain from December 15 to 22.

India will play against hosts Spain, Germany, France and Belgium in the 5 Nations tournament, which will serve as preparation for the 2023-2024 FIH Hockey Pro League matches.

The 24-member team consists of a mix of experienced and young faces, which will be led by drag flicker Harmanpreet Singh. Sumit and Amit Rohidas have been named as Harman’s replacements for this tour.

The goalkeeping department sees the return of Suraj Karkera to the side, along with regulars PR Sreejesh and Krishan B Pathak. In defense, Captain Harmanpreet Singh will take charge alongside Jarmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Amit Rohidas, Varun Kumar, Sumit, Sanjay and Nilam Sanjeep Xess.

In the midfield are Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh and young faces like Yashdeep Siwach and Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem.

Meanwhile, the front line consists of Mandeep Singh, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Karthi Selvam, Dilpreet Singh and Akashdeep Singh.

Speaking about the team selection, Craig Fulton, head coach of the Indian men’s hockey team, said: “We are going with a balanced team with a good mix of youth and experience. The tournament gives us a great platform to try different things and adapt ourselves accordingly. It also provides a great opportunity for the younger players to showcase their talent and experience the pressure that comes with the top teams in the world.”

“The next seven months are very important for us. We still have many matches to play before the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, and it is very important that we follow a process and go step by step,” he added .