Hockey India on Wednesday named the 22-member men's team who will take on Argentina in the upcoming FIH Men's Hockey Pro League double-header this weekend at the iconic Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh, who was part of the Indian junior men's squad at the FIH Junior Men's World Cup, will be the lone new face in the team for the matches against Argentina scheduled for March 19, 20, 2022.
The 22-member squad includes goalkeepers PR Sreejesh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak, defenders Harmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Surender Kumar, Varun Kumar, Jarmanpreet Singh and Amit Rohidas.
Midfield will see Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Hardik Singh, Sumit, Shamsher Singh, Nilakanta Sharma and debutant Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh. The forward line will see Gurjant Singh return to the squad after a brief injury break. He is joined by Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Shilanand Lakra, Sukhjeet Singh, Dilpreet Singh and Abhishek.
Additionally, Suraj Karkera, Mandeep Mor, Dipsan Tirkey, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Sanjay, Jaskaran Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Ashis Kumar Topno as well as Gursahibjit Singh and Mohd. Raheel have been named as standbys.
"These games will provide great exposure for young, new players coming up the ranks, while as a team we are also getting to work out different combinations ahead of the Asian Games," Chief Coach Graham Reid said in a statement.
"Rabichandra is an exciting young midfielder who showed a solid glimpse into what he can bring to the team during the Junior World Cup. I am looking forward to seeing the defensive pressure he takes to the opposition and his uncanny control with the ball, both great assets in the way we like to play. We also have Gurjant returning to the squad and we continue to try Jugraj, Sukhjeet and Abhishek who are showing good potential," Reid added.
The Indian Team has thus far played six matches in this season of FIH Hockey Pro League. They beat South Africa at home (10-2, 10-2) while they won a game and lost a game each against France (5-0, 2-5) and Spain (5-4, 3-5).
India is currently placed second in the pool standing with a total of 12 points while Netherlands are currently placed on top of the pool standings with 16 points.
Indian squad: Goalkeepers: Sreejesh PR, Krishan Bahadur Pathak; Defenders: Harmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Surender Kumar, Varun Kumar, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas; Midfielders: Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Hardik Singh, Sumit, Shamsher Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh; Forwards: Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Shilanand Lakra, Sukhjeet Singh, Abhishek, Dilpreet Singh
Standbys: Suraj Karkera, Mandeep Mor, Dipsan Tirkey, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Sanjay, Jaskaran Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Ashis Kumar Topno, Gursahibjit Singh, Mohd Raheel
( With inputs from ANI )
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