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New Straits Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Young Tigers headed for Liaoning and Chennai
KUALA LUMPUR: The national junior hockey team have received two invitations — to play against the Liaoning Province in China next month and in the All India Murugappa MCC Invitational in Chennai in July. Nor Saiful Zaini, who was appointed national junior coach last week, said Young Tigers need to play at least 50 matches in preparation for the Junior World Cup in India from Nov 28 to Dec 10. "We are happy to receive an invitation from Liaoning to play at least five matches and also to play a few more matches in a tournament in India. "We will also play one or two friendly matches with the teams that will feature in the Nations Cup in Bukit Jalil in June. We are also planning for a playing tour of Australia." Young Tigers will also play in the Under-21 Sultan of Johor Cup at Taman Daya Stadium from Oct 19-26. A total of 37 players have been selected for training under Nor Saiful. They started training on May 14. The training squad: Nor Syakir Saini, Irfan Abd Nasir, Hafiezuddin Ali, Nabil Irfan Yusof, Nor Daniel Nor Effendy, Azimuddin Shakir Kamaruddin, Shafiq Ammar Fahmi Suzaini, Aqil Danial Mat Ruslee, Danish Haikal Saufi, Ammar Qusyairi Abdul Halim, Atif Aqil Zubir, Shafy Shahymm Huzzeini Shahrul Azran, T. Naaveennash Paniker, Danish Irfan Saufi, Haziq Zunnurain Azhary, Alief Adha Akhbar, Shafiq Adam Harris Suzaini, Danish Aiman Khairul Anuar, Handzalah Abdul Hadi, Muaz Bashir Shabri, Khairul Norizam, Wan Arif Faizuddin Wan Ameer Ruzman, Aiman Safwan Hisham, Eswaran George, Amandeep Singh, S. Yashvindraa, Khairil Hakimi Zainol, Nischal Singh, Ghirejdish Singh, Amanraj Singh, Yadiy Saifuddin, Addy Jazmi Jamlus, Khairul Amirin Kamarul Azlan, Haziq Muizuddin Hairul Mizan, Safwan Salihe, Shazwan Shamsul, S. Karthikesan.
India Gazette
16-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
"Never had a Plan B...": Poovanna aims to make India debut after recovering from serious injury
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 16 (ANI): After a brief stint with the Indian junior team in 2023, Poovanna Chandura Boby is now training with the senior core group ahead of the European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League leg. The 22-year-old is currently part of the senior national camp at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre in Bengaluru and has made it into the 40-member core group. With the junior team, Poovanna had a fruitful spell, winning the Gold and Bronze medals at the 2022 and 2023 Sultan of Johor Cup, respectively. He was also part of India's Men's Junior Asia Cup winning squad in 2023 and made it to the senior national camp in August 2024, a Hockey India release said. 'I've played for the junior team in 2023 and now training with the senior players, I see a lot of differences between them and us. There's a lot of work we need to put in to get to that level. It doesn't matter how fit you are, you need to get much better to compete against European teams. We are getting gassed out every session, but we need to push hard to keep up. It has been a brilliant journey so far,' Poovanna said, according to the release. Poovanna played the Hero Hockey India League 2024/25 for champions Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers, however, he couldn't play the complete tournament due to an unfortunate injury. In their seventh match against JSW Soorma Hockey Club, Poovanna suffered a facial injury while defending a penalty corner. 'It was a penalty corner and I generally don't rush third, so I didn't have my face mask on. Harmanpreet Singh fired a shot and it deflected off my teammate's stick and hit my upper cheek. So, I was rushed off the field and I had to get my surgery done right away. I couldn't play the rest of the tournament,' he explained. He also revealed that he could have made his senior team debut during the home leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25 in Bhubaneswar but missed out on the opportunity due to his injury. 'Thankfully, we won the HIL but the coach told me that I was called up for the Pro League squad but I couldn't go because of my injury. Hence, I joined the camp early, worked with the physio in order to get in good shape for the training camp in March,' he added. Hailing from Kodagu, formerly known as Coorg, Poovana comes from a family where hockey is a proud tradition. The Kodava hockey festival is renowned worldwide for being one of the world's largest hockey tournaments, with hundreds of families participating in the event as tradition. 'When I was a kid, I used to watch those games and I always wanted to wear my family jersey, so that inspired me to start playing in school and I got naturally good at it. Playing for my family team was a dream come true for me after which I pursued the sport professionally. I have never had a Plan B, hockey has always been my top priority,' Poovanna said. Talking about the dynamic he shares with the other senior players of the squad, Poovanna shared, 'The seniors are very easy to talk to and we youngsters learn a lot from them since they have been playing for a lot of years and have much better experience than us. We need to learn from them because we need to carry forward their legacy ahead in the coming years.' 'I look up to Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh a lot because they play the position I play in midfield. I like how calm and composed they are when they get the ball and progress the game ahead. Some things that they do on the field are truly inspiring,' the player added. Poovanna also spoke about his experience training under coach Craig Fulton. 'I'm training under him right now, and he's really good. He's easy to approach and you can ask him whatever you want, and he gives you clear answers. Whenever we train, if someone does something wrong, he stops the game and he teaches them, which helps us a lot and gives a very valuable perspective,' he said. After missing out on the opportunity in February, Poovanna is determined to make his Indian senior team debut and solidify his position in the squad during the European leg of the FIH Pro League. 'The upcoming tournament is crucial for me and I will ensure I work on my shortcomings tirelessly and do my best with whatever chances I get,' he concluded on a strong note. (ANI)
United News of India
09-05-2025
- Sport
- United News of India
Hardik, Manpreet & Harmanpreet have helped me a lot: Rajinder Singh
Bengaluru, May 9 (UNI) Rajinder Singh made his senior debut in October last year during a two-match series against Germany, and eight months later, he has become a pivotal part of the Indian Men's Hockey Team. The midfielder is currently training at the Senior National Camp at SAI Bengaluru ahead of India's FIH Hockey Pro League 2024/25 matches in Europe. Talking about the ongoing camp, Rajinder said, 'The preparations are going really well. We are working a lot on our fitness. Some players are focusing on fitness, while others are working on stick-and-ball skills, so it's a combination of both. The earlier camp before the Senior National Championships was solely focused on fitness, but now we are doing a bit of everything.' India played the home leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League in Bhubaneswar in February this year, where they bagged fifteen points with five wins in eight games and are currently placed third in the points table. Their three losses came against Spain, Germany, and England — all of whom they defeated in the reverse fixtures. Reflecting on the team's performance in the tournament so far, and talking about the matches ahead, Rajinder said, 'There were quite a few ups and downs in Bhubaneswar, but we learned a great deal from them. We still have video sessions on those matches as we prepare for the upcoming leg. The teams we'll be facing next are very strong, so we need to perform at our best. Our aim is to qualify for the 2026 World Cup through the Pro League.' 'During the Bhubaneswar leg, we realised that while we were making circle entries, we struggled to convert our chances. Right now, we're focusing a lot on our game inside the circle to ensure we convert field goals. We don't want to rely heavily on penalty corners,' he added, discussing India's current strategy. At just 22, Rajinder has already become a core member of the team and a key presence in the midfield. Hailing from Haryana, he rose through the ranks of the junior team, with whom he won the Sultan of Johor Cup in 2022 and the Junior Asia Cup in 2023. Sharing his experience playing with the senior squad, he said, 'I've learned a lot during my time with the senior players. They guide us youngsters well, and whenever we make mistakes, they show us how to handle the situation, stay calm, and focus on our game.' Rajinder credited senior players Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, and captain Harmanpreet Singh for his rapid development over the past few months. 'Hardik paji and Manpreet paji play in the midfield with me, so they guide me a lot. After every mistake, Hardik paji tells me what I should do next. Even Harman paji often calls out to me from behind to guide my positioning.' Rajinder has been in fine form this year, also playing a crucial role for the Hyderabad Toofans in the Hockey India League 2024/25 season, helping the franchise finish as runners-up. He continued to build on that momentum and impressed during the opening games of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024/25, featuring in seven out of India's eight matches. India's European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League is scheduled for June, where they will face formidable opponents in the Netherlands, Argentina, Australia, and Belgium. When asked about his personal goals for the upcoming tournament, Rajinder replied, 'The teams we are about to face play an extremely aggressive and attacking style of hockey. I want to focus on my defence because I don't want any player to dodge past me or break through my defence. They play a very physical game, so I will ensure I play shoulder-to-shoulder with them.' UNI BM
United News of India
05-05-2025
- Sport
- United News of India
It felt like everything I had worked for was slipping away, but I didn't give up: Pratap Lakra
New Delhi, May 5 (UNI) For Pratap Lakra, the path to the Indian senior men's hockey camp has been anything but linear. The 24-year-old defender from Sundargarh, Odisha — a district known for producing hockey stalwarts — has scripted a powerful comeback story after his career derailed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lakra is only one of the two new faces in the ongoing senior national camp, which is a testament to his grit and resurgence. The call-up follows a standout performance at the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025, where he played a key role in taking Madhya Pradesh to a Silver-medal finish. 'It was not easy to come back after the lockdown,' Lakra said. 'I lost fitness and momentum. For a while, it felt like everything I'd worked for was slipping away. But I didn't give up — I kept training, kept showing up.' Lakra's journey began like many young boys in Sundargarh — with a hockey stick in hand, playing barefoot in the village fields. His father, who also played hockey in his village, and his elder sister Preeti, who represented Odisha at the national level, laid the foundation for his love of the game. 'We are a family of farmers, but hockey runs deep in our roots,' Lakra said. 'My sister joined a sports hostel first and inspired me to take the sport seriously.' Also, the financial struggles in his early years didn't deter him — in fact, they shaped him. 'There was a time when I didn't have proper shoes to play. A kind-hearted official from Hockey Gangpur Odisha helped me out. Little things like that kept me going,' he shared. Lakra's early career had shown immense promise. After beginning his hockey journey around the age of 9 in his village, he joined the renowned Panposh Sports Hostel in Rourkela in 2011. He rose through the ranks quickly, earning a place in the Indian junior team and playing in tournaments like the Sultan of Johor Cup (2017, 2019) and the 8 Nations Invitational in Spain (2019). But when the pandemic struck in 2020, Lakra, like many athletes, found himself adrift. He was released from the junior national camp, his fitness dropped, and opportunities dried up. 'It was a tough phase,' he said. 'There were days when I trained alone on the Railway team's turf, just running and working on my game without knowing what would come next.' Lakra's resilience paid off and he worked his way back into competitive hockey through Railways tournaments and eventually secured a job with South Central Railway in 2018 under the sports quota, giving him the stability to continue training and competing. By 2024, he was back in the thick of things, representing Odisha at the Senior Nationals, and then switching to play for Madhya Pradesh in 2025. The move proved pivotal — his defensive discipline and consistency were impossible to ignore. His recent performance with Madhya Pradesh at the Senior Nationals — including a hard-fought final against Punjab — earned him his long-awaited call-up to the senior national camp. 'It was a tough tournament. Playing against top Indian players was a learning experience. The final taught me a lot about team combinations and high-pressure play.' Lakra, who plays in defence and also as a drag flicker, idolises Indian greats Birendra Lakra and Rupinder Pal Singh. 'I chose to play in defence after watching Birendra Lakra — the way he controlled the game from the back really inspired me. When it came to dragflicking, I closely followed Rupinder Pal Singh — his technique and precision taught me a lot.' Pratap also gained experience with the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers in the Hero Hockey India League 2024-25. While he didn't get many chances to play, he said it was an eye-opener. 'Being around international and senior players helped me understand the game at a different level. I stayed focused and tried to make every opportunity count.' Now in the senior national camp, Lakra remains grounded. 'My goal is to improve my fitness and skills. I want to be disciplined, work hard, and earn a place in the Indian team. My ultimate dream is to win an Olympic gold for the country.' Support from his family remains unwavering. His sister Preeti, his early mentor, reminds him to stay humble. 'She told me, 'Being named in the camp is just the beginning. Keep working hard if you want to wear the Indian jersey.' UNI BM
Hans India
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
My goal is to improve my fitness, skills: Pratap Lakra on call-up to senior hockey national camp
For Pratap Lakra, the path to the Indian senior men's hockey camp has been anything but linear. The 24-year-old defender from Sundargarh, Odisha - a district known for producing hockey stalwarts - has scripted a powerful comeback story after his career derailed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Lakra is only one of the two new faces in the ongoing senior national camp, which is a testament to his grit and resurgence. The call-up follows a standout performance at the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025, where he played a key role in taking Madhya Pradesh to a Silver-medal finish. 'It was not easy to come back after the lockdown,' Lakra reflects. 'I lost fitness and momentum. For a while, it felt like everything I'd worked for was slipping away. But I didn't give up - I kept training, kept showing up.' Lakra's journey began like many young boys in Sundargarh - with a hockey stick in hand, playing barefoot in the village fields. His father, who also played hockey in his village, and his elder sister Preeti, who represented Odisha at the national level, laid the foundation for his love of the game. 'We are a family of farmers, but hockey runs deep in our roots,' Lakra says. 'My sister joined a sports hostel first and inspired me to take the sport seriously.' Also, the financial struggles in his early years didn't deter him — in fact, they shaped him. 'There was a time when I didn't have proper shoes to play. A kind-hearted official from Hockey Gangpur Odisha helped me out. Little things like that kept me going,' he shares. Lakra's early career had shown immense promise. After beginning his hockey journey around the age of 9 in his village, he joined the renowned Panposh Sports Hostel in Rourkela in 2011. He rose through the ranks quickly, earning a place in the Indian junior team and playing in tournaments like the Sultan of Johor Cup (2017, 2019) and the 8 Nations Invitational in Spain (2019). But when the pandemic struck in 2020, Lakra, like many athletes, found himself adrift. He was released from the junior national camp, his fitness dropped, and opportunities dried up. 'It was a tough phase,' he says. 'There were days when I trained alone on the Railway team's turf, just running and working on my game without knowing what would come next.' Lakra's resilience paid off and he worked his way back into competitive hockey through Railways tournaments and eventually secured a job with South Central Railway in 2018 under the sports quota, giving him the stability to continue training and competing. By 2024, he was back in the thick of things, representing Odisha at the Senior Nationals, and then switching to play for Madhya Pradesh in 2025. The move proved pivotal - his defensive discipline and consistency were impossible to ignore. His recent performance with Madhya Pradesh at the Senior Nationals - including a hard-fought final against Punjab - earned him his long-awaited call-up to the senior national camp. 'It was a tough tournament. Playing against top Indian players was a learning experience. The final taught me a lot about team combinations and high-pressure play.' Lakra, who plays in defence and also as a drag-flicker, idolises Indian greats Birendra Lakra and Rupinder Pal Singh. 'I chose to play in defence after watching Birendra Lakra - the way he controlled the game from the back really inspired me. When it came to dragflicking, I closely followed Rupinder Pal Singh - his technique and precision taught me a lot.' Pratap also gained experience with the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers in the Hockey India League 2024-25. While he didn't get many chances to play, he says it was an eye-opener. 'Being around international and senior players helped me understand the game at a different level. I stayed focused and tried to make every opportunity count.' Now in the senior national camp, Lakra remains grounded. 'My goal is to improve my fitness and skills. I want to be disciplined, work hard, and earn a place in the Indian team. My ultimate dream is to win an Olympic gold for the country.' Support from his family remains unwavering. His sister Preeti, his early mentor, reminds him to stay humble. 'She told me, 'Being named in the camp is just the beginning. Keep working hard if you want to wear the Indian jersey.'
