Hundal to lead Indian junior men's hockey team to 4-Nation tournament in Germany
New Delhi, Experienced drag-flicker Araijeet Singh Hundal will lead a 24-member Indian junior men's hockey team in the 4-Nation Tournament in Berlin beginning June 21, which will also serve as a preparation for the Junior World Cup scheduled in Chennai and Madurai later this year.
Besides India, the 4-Nation tournament, scheduled from June 21 to 25, will feature Spain, Australia and hosts Germany.
"The tournament is a significant part of our preparation roadmap for the FIH Junior World Cup later this year . It will give us the chance to play against top-quality international opponents in a competitive setting, which is crucial for the development of these young players," said former India goalkeeper and junior men's coach PR Sreejesh.
The two-time Olympic bronze-medallist added that more than the results, the focus would be on giving the youngsters experience against top-notch sides.
"This tour is less about results and more about preparing these young athletes for the bigger picture. Competing against quality international sides like Germany, Australia, and Spain will challenge our boys in different ways tactically, physically, and mentally. These are the kind of experiences that shape world-class players," added the former goalkeeping stalwart.
Hundal, who was a part of the team that won the 2023 Junior Asia Cup gold and also played in the 2023-24 Pro League, will have defender Amir Ali as his deputy.
Each team will play against each other side in a single round-robin pool stage with the top two squaring off in the final. The third and fourth-placed teams will play a classification match.
Sreejesh added that the tournament will give him the opportunity to try out different combinations.
"We have picked a squad that brings a healthy balance of energy and potential. This tour will allow us to sharpen our strategies, experiment with combinations, and give players the opportunity to take ownership in critical match situations. These learnings will be invaluable for players as we build towards the Junior World Cup at home," he said.
India's goalkeeping department will be manned by Bikramjit Singh and Vivek Lakra, both of whom have shown sharp reflexes during the training sessions.
The defensive line-up has Amir Ali, Talem Priyobarta, Shardanand Tiwari, Sunil P B, Anmol Ekka, Rohit, Ravneet Singh, and Sukhvinder.
Adarsh G , Prasant Barla , Chandan Yadav , and Mohammed Konain Dad have been named as standby players for the tour.
The Squad:
Goalkeepers: Bikramjit Singh, Vivek Lakra; Defenders: Amir Ali Talem Priyobarta, Shardanand Tiwari, Sunil PB, Anmol Ekka, Rohit, Ravneet Singh, Sukhvinder.
Midfielders: Ankit Pal, Manmeet Singh, Rosan Kujur, Rohit Kullu, Thockchom Kingson Singh, Thounaojam Ingalemba Luwang, Adrohit Ekka, Jeetpal.
Forwards: Araijeet Singh Hundal , Gurjot Singh, Sourabh Anand Kushwaha, Dilraj Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Ajeet Yadav.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
26 minutes ago
- Hans India
Strong Indian contingent departs for Beijing 2025 Para Powerlifting World Cup
A robust 16-member Indian para powerlifting contingent is all set to represent the nation at the prestigious Beijing 2025 Para Powerlifting World Cup, scheduled to take place from June 17–25 in Beijing, China. The team received a grand send-off at a ceremony organised at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI), New Delhi, in the presence of dignitaries and well-wishers from the para-sporting community. Ranjit Kumar, IRS, PR Additional Directorate General, graced the occasion as the chief guest, extending his best wishes to the athletes. Deeply moved by the sheer power and resilience of the para powerlifters, he remarked, 'I was truly overawed by the strength and determination these athletes possess. It was a humbling and motivating experience. I wish them not only the best for this tournament, but for a great future ahead.' Also present on the occasion were Dr. Deepa Malik, South-East Asia Member of the Asian Paralympic Committee, and Jayawant Hamnnavar, Secretary General of the Paralympic Committee of India, both of whom lauded the athletes and encouraged them to aim for podium finishes in Beijing. Highlighting India's growing stature in the sport, JP Singh, Chairman of India Para Powerlifting, said, 'With every tournament, India is establishing itself as a force to reckon with in the global para powerlifting fraternity. Our players are in great shape, and we can expect commendable results in China. It is especially heartening to note that 7 out of the 16-member contingent are women — a very promising sign for the future of the sport in the country.' Among the contingent are standout performers like Zainab Khatun, Seema Rani, Jhandu Kumar, Joby Mathew, Manish Kumar and Kasthuri who impressed at the recently concluded national championships. All eyes will be on them as they aim to carry their momentum and make a strong mark on the international stage. As the Indian contingent embarks on its journey to Beijing, the nation stands firmly behind these athletes, cheering them on to bring glory and pride to the country.
The Hindu
35 minutes ago
- The Hindu
India women's hockey team squanders lead, suffers second consecutive loss against Australia in FIH Pro League
The Indian women's hockey team fought on equal terms against Australia but conceded a last-minute goal to lose 1-2 in its FIH Pro League match in London on Sunday. This was India's second consecutive defeat to the same opponents as they had lost 2-3 on Friday. India took the lead in the third minute through a field goal from Vaishnavi Phalke and they were 1-0 up at half-time. But Australia restored parity in the 37th minute through Amy Lawton. The match was heading towards a draw but Lexie Pickering scored the winner from a penalty-corner variation in the 60th minute to break Indian hearts. India made a bright start to the game by winning three back-to-back penalty corners in the very first minute, adding pressure on the Australian backline. India carried on its momentum and scored the opening goal as early as the third minute to take charge of the match. Navneet Kaur carried the ball forward and passed it to Sharmila Devi to the left. Devi played it to the far post for Vaishnavi to deflect the ball into the net. India continued to pile on the pressure as Navneet came close to extending the lead but narrowly missed the target. With 34 seconds left on the clock, Australia converted a penalty corner to complete their comeback in the match. Tatum Stewart played the perfect pass to Pickering (in picture) who deflected the ball into the net to hand Australia all three points. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Minutes later, Australia won two back-to-back penalty corners towards the end of first quarter but India did well at the back to maintain its lead. Australia improved its performance in the second quarter and started creating goal-scoring chances. Both sides exchanged possession and battled it out in the midfield but they couldn't be separated in the second quarter as India headed into the second half with a goal in hand. Australia was more dominant in the third quarter and caused troubles for the Indian defence. Greta Hayes came teasingly close to scoring a goal as she struck a shot towards an empty net. However, the ball was accidentally stopped by her own teammate. In the 37th minute, Australia was on the attack again and Lawton managed to find the equaliser through a brilliant field goal. Lawton did well to win the ball from an India defender and then unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the circle, past the keeper into the bottom right corner. In the fourth and final quarter, India earned a penalty corner but the Australian keeper was up to the task to keep her side in the contest. In the 54th minute, India won four penalty corners in a row but it failed to find the net. In its third attempt, India was unlucky not to take the lead. Neha fired a shot which took a deflection and struck the post. With 34 seconds left on the clock, Australia converted a penalty corner to complete its comeback in the match. Tatum Stewart played the perfect pass to Pickering who deflected the ball into the net to hand Australia all three points. India next faces Argentina in London on Tuesday. Related Topics India women's hockey team
Hans India
41 minutes ago
- Hans India
England Tests great chance for young Indian team to settle and challenge any side: Venkatapathy Raju
Former India left-arm spinner Venkatapathy Raju stated that the upcoming five-match Test series against England, starting in Leeds on June 20, present a valuable chance for a young Indian team to find their footing and then confidently compete against any team in the world. With stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli moving on from Tests, it means the inexperienced Indian batting unit is set up for a daunting challenge in England, which also kickstarts their 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. In terms of the current squad, only KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja have hit Test centuries in England. 'That's what people are always saying - that you always should take advantage of your home conditions. But then if you see, there have been a lot of upsets this time – like, India losing to New Zealand. Nobody expected that (would happen) in India. So, like that, anything can change at any time. This is a very young team Indian team with good balance. 'If you see the England team, even their bowling attack is also relatively very new. You don't have those experienced fast bowlers after James Anderson retired and then a couple of players getting injured. So, I think we got a couple of experienced batters in the Indian team who can handle that bowling and it's going to be very evenly matched.' 'So far, England have never come into the finals of the World Test Championship and they are also willing to win more games. Five Test matches is quite a long time, but it gives a very good opportunity for this young Indian team to settle down into a team where they can challenge any team in the world and then try to make it to the next version of the World Test Championship,' Raju told IANS in an exclusive interaction organised by Sony Sports Network on Sunday. With Yashasvi Jaiswal, B Sai Sudharsan, and Dhruv Jurel coming on their first tour of England while someone like Karun Nair is making a comeback to the Test team and skipper Shubman Gill is yet to prove himself as a dependable batter in overseas conditions, India have their task cut out to ensure the transition era is managed well. 'We should give enough time for a team to settle down, right? We were all so used to seeing all the senior players like Rohit, Virat or Ashwin - guys who have served India for more than 15 years. Naturally, any team will miss players with so much experience. But then, the other players now get a chance.' 'We all dream about playing for the country and all these guys. You ask anyone, they always want to play Test cricket, right? Test cricket is the ultimate cricket. So, it's up to somebody like Sai Sudharsan, if he gets an opportunity, to just establish himself, because talent-wise, people are already talking so high about Sai Sudharsan.' 'Then you have got Karun Nair - he scored a 300, but then lost out his way and now did very well in domestic cricket. So, we should appreciate and congratulate the selection committee for showing faith in him, and for him on performing well in domestic cricket to make a comeback. So, that way, I think the competition in the team itself looks very healthy. It's up to them just to go and utilize this opportunity and become good Test cricketers,' added Raju. He also seemed pleased with a very good combination of youth and experience in the bowling line-up. 'You have got Jasprit, Siraj and Shardul Thakur have been quite successful in England on the last tour. So, he (Thakur) fits in as an all-rounder.' 'Then you have got Nitish Reddy who also can become a good all-rounder because he has shown what he is capable of batting. But bowling, he has to take a little more workload. Then you have got somebody like Arshdeep, which means the variety is there in our bowling,' added Raju. He further believes England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir can turn out to be a surprise package who can trouble the Indian batters. Bashir picked career-best figures of 6-81 in the second innings, which took his match haul to nine wickets, as England thrashed Zimbabwe by an innings and 45 runs in the one-off Test at Trent Bridge. Bashir, who made his Test debut against India at Visakhapatnam last year, has now taken four five-wicket hauls in 16 matches, with his overall wickets tally at 58. 'India have not been tested by any (England Lions) spinner in those four-day games they have played so far. Then, in that context, Bashir's height and his consistency has been so good.' 'He knows the conditions so well. He has been a genuine match-winner for England when it comes to spin-bowling because there are no other spinners in that particular England team who can trouble other batters. But then, he has been showing that consistency.' 'The best part about him is the control that he has - the field placements have been brilliant, and then, he gets that extra bounce and that nagging line like Nathan Lyon. So, I think he can be a surprise package for the England team, as Indian batters have been quite vulnerable when playing against good quality spin-bowling nowadays.' 'They (Indian batters) hardly play domestic cricket, and it is not played on turners because of the restrictions or play more on green tops in India. So England players might struggle against Kuldeep and Ravindra Jadeja. But we should not forget about Bashir, as he can be a surprise element for the England team against India,' concluded Raju. Watch India tour of England from 3:30 pm, June 20 onwards live on Sony Sports Ten 1 & Sony Sports Ten 5 channels.
