Five Olympic debutants feature in 16-member Indian men's hockey team for 2024 Olympics, Harmanpreet Singh to lead side in Paris
Ace defender and drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh will lead the Indian men's hockey team at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics while Hardik Singh has been chosen for the vice-captain's role. The 16-member squad that Hockey India announced on Wednesday, June 26 includes five players who will take part in an Olympic event for the first time.
Former captain Manpreet Singh and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh will make his fourth Olympic appearance this year, having been part of the squad for the London Games in 2012.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh will man the Indian defence alongside Amit Rohidas and Sumit. Defenders Jarmanpreet Singh and Sanjay will be making their Olympic debuts. Manpreet Singh will be aided in midfield by Vivek Sagar Prasad, Shamsher Singh, Hardik Singh and Olympic debutant Raj Kumar Pal.
Veteran striker Lalit Kumar Upadhyay will provide the firepower up front in combination with Mandeep Singh and Gurjant Singh. Abhishek and Sukhjeet Singh, who also feature among the forwards, will be making their Olympic debuts.
Since only one goalkeeper can be accommodated in the main squad as per Olympic regulations, Krishan Bahadur Pathak has been named as one of the alternate athletes while Sreejesh will be the first-choice custodian for India.
Nilakanta Sharma and Jugraj Singh have also been named as alternate athletes for the Indian men's hockey team.
"Selection process for Paris Olympics squad was incredibly competitive" - Hockey coach Craig Fulton
Coach Craig Fulton revealed that the selection process was incredibly competitive while also adding that every player who made the cut would bring their best to the Games.
Exceptional skill, dedication, and resilience were three qualities that Fulton looked for while choosing the players that would represent India at the Paris Olympics.
"The selection process for the Paris Olympics’ squad was incredibly competitive due to the depth of talent within our ranks, however, I am confident that every player chosen will bring their best to Paris. Each player selected has demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and resilience throughout our rigorous preparation phase," Fulton stated.
"Our journey has been marked by unwavering commitment to excellence and a collective drive to elevate Indian hockey on the world stage,” he added.
Stressing that the squad comprised a 'perfect blend' of experience and promising young talent, the chief coach added the team had the versatility and energy required to tackle challenges.
“This squad embodies a perfect blend of experienced players and promising young talents, giving us the versatility and energy required to tackle the challenges ahead. Our focus has been on building a cohesive team that can adapt to different playing styles and situations, and I believe we have achieved that,” the chief coach said.
The Indian men's hockey team who won a historic bronze medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics will take on New Zealand in their opener on July 27.
The Team
Goalkeeper: Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran
Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay
Midfielders: Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad
Forwards: Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh
Alternates: Nilakanta Sharma, Jugraj Singh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak