Bhopal:
The squad, announced on Wednesday, was selected after a rigorous National Coaching Camp at Udhav Das Mehta (Bhai ji) Central Centre at SAI Bhopal under the team’s coaching staff consisting of Sardar Singh and Rajnish Mishra.
The team’s preparations included a high-profile four-match series against the Australia U-18 team in Bhopal as part of an exposure tour. Forward Ketan Kushwaha will captain the Asia Cup side as they fly out to compete against Asia’s top youth teams, according to a press release from Hockey India.
Gearing up for the tournament, the Indian team won one match against Australia U18 and lost one. Two matches ended up as drawn affairs.
The U18 Asia Cup format will see the Indian team battle through an intense group stage before the knockout rounds. India will begin their campaign on the opening day, May 29, against Kazakhstan, followed by a highly anticipated match against hosts Japan on May 31.
The team will then face South Korea on June 1, before wrapping up their pool-stage assignments against Chinese Taipei on June 3. The top teams will progress to the semi-finals, which are scheduled for June 5. The tournament will culminate with the Final and classification placement matches on June 6.
Commenting on the final squad for the tournament, Coach Sardar Singh said, “The selection process was incredibly competitive, but we have picked an 18-member squad that gives us the perfect tactical balance. Our training in Bhopal and the exposure matches against a top-tier side like Australia gave these boys a great understanding of international pressure and match tempo. We have spent the last few weeks working heavily on our tactical discipline, penalty corner routines, and structure. The boys are in high spirits, and going into a major tournament like the Asia Cup, our objective is clear–we want to execute our plans effectively, top our group and put ourselves in the best possible position to bring home the trophy.”
Box:
Indian U-18 Men’s Squad:
Goalkeepers: Sawan Kumar, Ayush Rajak
Defenders: Ansh Bahutra, Arman Soreng, Ashish Tani Purti, Arshdip Singh, Avi Manikpuri, Romit Pal
Midfielders: Rahul Yadav, Premchand Soy, Varinder Singh, Karan Gautam, Siddharth Ben
Forwards: Ketan Kushwaha (Captain), Akash Deep, Gazee Khan, Shahrukh Ali, Prahalad Rajbhar
